Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Championship match.
Unlike last season when Hull City were just a step away from the playoff zone, the beginning of this season has not been encouraging for their fans. Hull City will get another chance to secure their first win in the Championship this Friday, but they face a formidable opponent in Sheffield United, who are eager to return to the Premier League as soon as possible.
Hull City
Five points lost in the last two matches of the 2023/24 season prevented them from competing for a Premier League spot, and early losses this season could end their promotion hopes prematurely. Hull City's problem is not just their weak defence, which has conceded four goals, but also their struggling attack, scoring only twice. This weakness saw them fail to score away at Leeds United, which is forgivable, but also at home against Millwall, despite taking 14 shots at the goal. However, it’s hard to blame them when five of their top scorers, who netted 47 of the team's 68 goals last season, left the club this summer.
Sheffield United
Sheffield United also lost a couple of forwards, with Cameron Archer and William Osula deciding to stay in the Premier League. So far, their absence hasn’t been felt much. The team averages 1.5 goals per game. They have managed to score in every match so far, but keeping a clean sheet has been more elusive. They did not concede against Preston North End in the first match and Watford in the last match. A single goal was enough against Watford, although they managed 18 shots, seven of which were on target, and had 2.24 xG, showing a lack of finishing.
Hull City — Sheffield United Prediction
Hull City will likely feel the absence of their forwards even in a home game, while Sheffield United also lack sharpness in attack. Historical data doesn’t favour a high-scoring game either: in their last three encounters, at least one team failed to score, and the total under 2.5 bet came through. Additionally, in the first four Championship matches this season, only one game for each club saw more than two goals scored. This leaves us no choice but to bet on total under.
