Hull City VS Manchester City
Monday (26/12/2016)
18:15 (WAT)
Monday (26/12/2016)
18:15 (WAT)
TEAM NEWS
Hull forward Abel Hernandez will miss the visit of Manchester City, with the Uruguayan forward out until the new year after hernia surgery.
But head coach Mike Phelan has Ryan Mason and Josh Tymon available again.
Manchester City forward Sergio Aguero serves the last game of a four-match ban following his red card against Chelsea.
Fernandinho is available after suspension and Pablo Zabaleta will have a fitness test on his own knee problem.
WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY
Hull City head coach Mike Phelan: "I think they [City] are an excellent team, the Premier League is a high-pressure league but they are exceptional. At times you have your ups and downs but I think that's normal, whether you are Pep or myself.
"We have to approach the game the same way as we've approached the last half a dozen games. Hopefully we can get some results."
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola: "I spoke to David Silva, with some players, and they gave me good advice about what it means to play on Boxing Day at Hull City.
"What I learn in my short time here is the gap between the first 10 teams and last 10 is not that big. Other people said before I came here how complicated all the games are, so I am not expecting easy games. We have to be prepared. It's my first year here.
"Hull started quite well. Of course, the situation is not good but I saw many, many games and they are a special team. They try to play more than some of the teams here in the Premier League."
Manchester City are finding it hard to keep clean sheets under Pep Guardiola - they have managed only three in 17 league games this season - but they should be able to keep Hull quiet.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
- Hull have only won one of the eight Premier League meetings (D3, L4).
- The Tigers have failed to keep a clean sheet in all of those games.
- These sides have met once before on Boxing Day - a 5-1 home win for Manchester City in 2008 made famous by Hull manager Phil Brown's half-time team talk on the pitch
Hull City
- The side bottom on Christmas Day has only stayed up three times in the 24 Premier League seasons to date.
- Hull have only won one of their last 15 league matches (D3, L11), failing to keep a single clean sheet.
- Their tally of 14 goals is a Premier League-low. Meanwhile, only Swansea (37) have conceded more league goals than Hull's 36 this season.
- The Tigers have conceded the first goal of the game a league-high 14 times this season.
- Robert Snodgrass has been directly involved in seven of Hull's 14 league goals this season, scoring five times and registering two assists.
Manchester City
- Manchester City have only kept one clean sheet in their eight away league matches this season (W6, L2).
- They have conceded a league-low three goals from set-pieces this season.
- Their average possession of 63% per game is a league-high.
- Kevin de Bruyne leads the Premier League for assists this season with nine.
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