The Tigers continue their search for an automatic promotion spot when Hull City take on Bristol City at the MKM Stadium this weekend.
They have been on a tear of late, losing just one of their past 11 league games and taking just 29 points from 33 games.
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Sergey Jakirovic has turned Hull City around this season, taking them from a team that avoided relegation to the First Division on the final day of last season to a team that is flying high in the Championship this term.
Bristol City, meanwhile, have had a tumultuous start to 2026, with nine players leaving Ashton Gate, including top scorer Anis Mehmedi and the club’s all-time leading appearance holder Zak Weiner.
This high volume of action has undoubtedly had an impact on the Robins’ on-field performances, as Gerhard Struber’s side have managed just two league wins since the turn of the year, both of which came against relegation-threatened Portsmouth and Sheffield Wednesday.
However, both sides failed to win in their last games, with Hull City drawing 0-0 with play-off rivals Watford in the rescheduled game, while Bristol City suffered a 0-5 defeat at home to Derby County.
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One of nine players to move from Bristol City during the winter window was Japanese winger Yu Hirakawa, who joins Hull City on loan for the remainder of the season. The 25-year-old provided an assist on his debut but will not be able to play against his parent club this weekend.
Goals are easy for the Tigers, who have scored 48 so far this season, the third-highest total in the league behind Coventry City and Ipswich Town. Bristol City have scored 40 times themselves, well above their average at this point in the season.
From a Hull City perspective, two players to watch ahead of this game are top scorer Ollie McBurnie and his teammate Joe Gerhardt. The two have scored 21 league goals for the team this season.
From Robins’ perspective, creative midfielder Scott Thune will need to be at his best on Saturday afternoon if his side are to take home three points from the West Country. The former Hull City man has eight goals and seven assists in all competitions this season, his best performance since joining MK Dons in 2021/22.
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Both sides are likely to have four winter signings making their debuts this weekend, with Paddy McNair and Seb Naylor yet to make their debuts for their new clubs, as well as Robins deadline day signings Tommy Horvat and Noah Ayre, both from Graz Storm and New York Red Bulls.
Tenacious midfielder Joe Williams is also likely to return from injury for Bristol City, with the 29-year-old having been sidelined since the first leg of the play-off semi-final against Sheffield United last May.
The match will be played at the MKM Stadium on Saturday 4 February, with kick-off set for 3pm UK time.
