Snapping disheartening losing streaks will be on the agenda for Hull City and Blackburn Rovers on Friday night, as the Championship counterparts square off in their final second-tier fixture of 2023 at the MKM Stadium.
Liam Rosenior's outfit slumped to a 1-0 loss to Sunderland in their most recent affair, while the visitors were condemned to a humbling 3-0 beating away to Huddersfield Town.
Match preview
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After seeing his endeavours rewarded with a new contract at the MKM Stadium, Rosenior's players have done little to vindicate their manager's renewal, suffering back-to-back Championship losses to Bristol City and Sunderland either side of Christmas Day.
Four days on from throwing away a 2-1 advantage in a 3-2 loss to the Robins, Hull dominated the ball when fellow playoff hopefuls Sunderland paid a visit to their Yorkshire headquarters, but a fine Jack Clarke strike - his 11th of the season - condemned the Tigers to a fourth defeat from six contests.
Rosenior and co were ultimately left to bemoan a lack of ruthlessness as Sunderland rose into the top six at the expense of Hull, who are level on points with the Black Cats but are being kept at bay for the time being owing to a marginally inferior goal difference, and as many as seven teams are within touching distance of the Tigers.
Unearthing a killer instinct has rarely been an issue for Hull, whose failure to score against Sunderland marked just the second time in their last 14 games in which they have drawn a blank, but the New Year omens do not make for reassuring reading for the home crowd.
Indeed, Hull have failed to succeed in any of their last four matches when playing their final game of the year at home - drawing twice and losing twice since destroying Fulham 6-0 in the 2013-14 Premier League season - and a similar display would not go amiss on Friday.
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In what Blackburn boss Jon Dahl Tomasson labelled his side's worst performance of the season so far, Rovers' playoff aspirations suffered another crushing blow at the John Smith's Stadium, where a Huddersfield Town outfit flirting with relegation dismantled their visitors with ease.
Jaheim Headley broke the deadlock in the first half before Sorba Thomas and Delano Burgzorg put the game out of Blackburn's reach in the second 45, condemning Tomasson's men to their third-straight defeat following previous beatings at the hands of Southampton and Watford.
Tomasson issued an apology to the 3,000-strong Blackburn army who witnessed their side's capitulation from the stands, and Rovers' winter woes have seen Friday's visitors plummet down the standings into 15th place, albeit with just a five-point gap to make up to the top six.
However, Blackburn will have to keep a close eye on another dotted line if performances carry on in the same vein, as defeat to Huddersfield marked a fifth loss from six games for the Ewood Park outfit, who have also conceded 10 goals in three defeats on the road in December.
Rovers have only been beaten in two of their last nine competitive battles with Hull in the second tier, although one of those losses came at Ewood Park in August, where Harry Pickering's first-half sending-off proved costly as an Aaron Connolly brace propelled the Tigers to a 2-1 triumph.
Team News
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Tuesday's loss to Sunderland marked Matt Ingram's first Championship start for over three months owing to the back injury that Ryan Allsop sustained against Bristol City, which will render the 31-year-old unavailable for Friday's game too.
Rosenior has also been dealt a fresh blow with captain Lewie Coyle, who was substituted on the 60-minute mark against Sunderland due to a knock to the ankle; the defender has trained but may not be risked with games coming thick and fast.
Jaden Philogene (knee), Ruben Vinagre (hamstring) and Dogukan Sinik (knee) also remain in the treatment room for Hull, who will promote Cyrus Christie to the first XI if Coyle does not make the cut.
As far as Blackburn are concerned, both Pickering and 14-goal attacker Sammie Szmodics were reinstated to the first XI against Huddersfield after missing the previous loss to Watford through fatigue, but a sextet of infirm players are on the sidelines.
None of Tyrhys Dolan (knee), Joe Rankin-Costello (hamstring), Ryan Hedges (hamstring), Sam Gallagher (tendon) or Aynsley Pears (foot) will be passed fit for the contest, while Scott Wharton is out due to a calf issue.
Tomasson axed Andy Moran and Sondre Tronstad at half time in the loss to Huddersfield, and a handful of anticipated changes would benefit Dilan Markanday and Lewis Travis's chances of recalls to the starting lineup.
Hull City possible starting lineup:
Ingram; Christie, Jones, Greaves, Slater; Seri, Morton; Delap, Tufan, Traore; Connolly
Blackburn Rovers possible starting lineup:
Wahlstedt; Brittain, Carter, Hyam, Pickering; Travis, A. Wharton; Markanday, Szmodics, Sigurdsson; Ennis
We say: Hull City 2-1 Blackburn Rovers
Confidence is in limited supply in both camps at the minute, but given Blackburn's ongoing defensive frailties on the road, the Tigers of Hull ought to rediscover their offensive bite on home turf.
The hosts made hard work of their success over a 10-man Blackburn side in August, and while Tomasson's men should avoid a repeat of their Huddersfield humbling, we have faith in Hull to get their playoff charge back on track.
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Top tip
Ben Knapton
