Leeds United vs. Hull City: Prediction, Preview & Betting Tips

Leeds took four points off Hull last season and are unbeaten in the last four head-to-head meetings between the two sides, winning three of those.

The Peacocks lost only twice at Elland Road in the entirety of last season, while Hull have won only two of their last seven Championship games on the road, also failing to win any of their last five league games overall.

Leeds are coming into this game off the back of their most impressive performance in months, so this game feels well-timed for Daniel Farke's men to set themselves to embark on a decent win streak. Leeds 2-0 Hull.

This Saturday's Championship clash between Leeds United and Hull City presents us with a Yorkshire derby, with both clubs navigating their way through the early stages of what promises to be a challenging season.

• Date: 31/08/2024
• Kick-off time: 15:00
• Location: Elland Road, Leeds

Leeds United, currently 6th in the Championship table with five points from their opening three matches, have already experienced a rollercoaster start to the season. This comes as little surprise to followers of the club, who at this point expect constant chaos as the club’s baseline level of operating. The summer transfer window was particularly disorganised for the West Yorkshire club, with several key players departing. Most notably, the loss of forwards Crysencio Summerville, who departed for West Ham, and more recently Georginio Rutter, who left for Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion after they triggered a £40 million release clause in his contract, has left a significant gap in the squad.

To address these losses, Leeds have brought in Largie Ramazani, a 23-year-old Belgian winger, in what is considered a promising acquisition. The hope is that Ramazani will help fill the void left by Rutter and Summerville, providing the creativity and flair needed to keep Leeds competitive at the top end of the table. Interestingly, despite their early struggles, Leeds produced their best performance of the season in the immediate aftermath of Rutter's exit, which has given fans hope that the team can still function effectively without their former star man.

Manager Daniel Farke has had the unenviable task of reshaping the side after last season's disappointment, where they fell short in the play-off final despite accumulating an impressive 90 points. Farke's challenge is compounded by the expectation that Leeds, who were widely tipped for promotion at the start of the season, should maintain their status as one of the Championship's top sides. The next few weeks will be crucial in determining whether the team can find the consistency needed to challenge for automatic promotion, or if they will be drawn into the unpredictability that so often characterises the Championship.

Hull City, on the other hand, find themselves in 14th place with three points from their opening three fixtures. The Tigers have experienced a summer of significant upheaval, with manager Liam Rosenior being replaced by Tim Walter, and a considerable turnover in player personnel. Many of those who left the club were loanees, which has meant that Walter has had to rebuild the squad from the ground up.

Hull’s start to the season under Walter's guidance can best be described as slow, though not without its positives. Creatively, Hull have shown promise, with an expected goals (xG) rate of 1.28 per game, placing them 10th in the league. However, defensive frailties have been a cause for concern, with the team conceding at an expected goals against (xGA) rate of 1.54 per game, the fifth worst in the Championship. These statistics suggest that while Hull have the potential to create chances and score goals, their defensive vulnerabilities could be a significant hindrance as the season progresses.

It's important to note that Hull are still very much in a transitional phase. The considerable changes over the summer, both in the squad and the management team, mean that it would be premature to pass judgement on their long-term prospects this early in the season. Despite their underlying defensive numbers, Hull remain unbeaten with two goals conceded in three games, which is a positive sign as Walter looks to instil his philosophy and build cohesion within the squad. As the season unfolds, we will likely get a clearer picture of what Hull are capable of under their new management.

This game will not be televised live to UK audiences, but partial radio coverage will be provided by BBC Radio Leeds.

Leeds Team News:

Patrick Bamford is a major doubt after missing the game against Sheffield Wednesday with an injury while Max Wöber is unlikely to feature - if he hasn't sealed a move away from the club by the time the game comes around, that is.

There aren't likely to be any changes to the XI that started at Hillsborough last time out, with new signing Largie Ramazani likely to start on the bench.

Predicted lineup: Meslier; Bogle, Rodon, Struijk, Firpo; Ampadu, Gruev; James, Aaronson, Gnonto; Joseph.

Hull Team News:

Harvey Cartwright, Ryan Longman and Doğukan Sinik will likely all miss out for the Tigers, but the latter has a slight chance of being involved given he's been missing due to lack of match fitness rather than an injury.

The Tigers likely won't make many changes to their lineup here after keeping a clean sheet last time out.

Predicted lineup: Pandur; Coyle, Jones, McLoughlin, Giles; Zambrano; Ömür, Slater, Mehlem, Millar; Burstow.

Leeds’ season opener came against newly promoted Portsmouth at Elland Road in one of the most frustrating games imaginable. The game ended 3-3, with Leeds hitting the bar two in the opening minutes while the visitors managed to score three goals from 0.89xG, and despite coming back to draw the game after falling 2-3 down in injury time they’ll have been hugely irritated not to have won the game at the death when Brendan Aaronson spurned a golden opportunity.

Leeds then went on to fall to a 0-3 battering at the hands of Middlesbrough in the EFL Cup, which was followed by a very uneventful 0-0 draw away at West Bromwich Albion.

Leeds then proceeded to deliver their best performance in months as they beat Sheffield Wednesday 2-0 away from home, with goals from Aaronson and Dan James clinching the three points.

The Peacocks were superior from start to finish, and displayed some very neat interplay and a type of fluid, cohesive attacking football that has been absent since earlier this year.

Hull’s first game of the season saw them claim a point in a 1-1 draw at home to Bristol City. Fally Mayulu looked like he’d won the game for the visitors in the 84th minute, but the Tigers rescued a point in stoppage time through an Óscar Estupiñán penalty.

Hull then faced off against Sheffield Wednesday in the EFL Cup and fell to a 1-2 defeat, a result that preceded a 1-1 draw against Plymouth Argyle in the league, where a fine equaliser from Lewie Coyle secured a point for the visiting Tigers.

At the weekend, Hull were held to a 0-0 draw at home by Millwall in a game that fans will quickly want to forget. It was an even encounter with few chances, which if nothing else kept Hull unbeaten.

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