Hull City

Hull City look to avoid relegation as they visit Portsmouth for their final match of the season on Saturday (12:30 BST).

The Tigers are currently residing in the last relegation spot but will find themselves making a last gasp grasp to safety if they take all three points at Fratton Park.

However, beating Portsmouth at home is no easy task.

Pompey have averaged 1.77 points per game at home this season, compared to 0.61 on the road, and will want to give their home fans a thank you performance for helping them secure a second season in the Championship.

• Portsmouth have lost two of their last three home league games against Hull City (W1), one more defeat than across their 14 meetings at Fratton Park (W5 D8).

• Hull City have won two of their last six league games against Portsmouth (D1 L3), with the pair drawing the reverse fixture 1-1 back in November last year.

• This will be the first time that Portsmouth have finished a league campaign in the second tier at home since a 3-0 victory over Barnsley at Fratton Park in May 2001.

• Since 2005, Hull have won just one of their 20 final games of a league campaign (D8 L11), a 5-1 home victory over Rotherham United in May 2016.

• Portsmouth have won just one of their seven league games against sides from Yorkshire this season (D4 L2); they last faced sides from the county as many times with as few wins during the 1960-61 season (one win in eight).

"If you would have said that, three or four weeks ago, Preston are going to have to go to the last day of the season to get a result, you'd be like no, no chance," former Reading midfielder Jobi McAnuff tells the 72+ podcast.

McAnuff and Aaron Paul are joined by former Barnsley manager Darrell Clarke as they discuss the upcoming Championship relegation fight and who they think is most at risk.

For McAnuff, it's Hull City and Preston North End that "are in trouble".

Hull sacked former boss Liam Rosenior after finishing seventh in the Championship last season, but have struggled since his departure and are currently sitting in the bottom three, a point away from safety.

Meanwhile, Preston are among three teams just a point above and have been dragged into the relegation fight after a winless run of seven games - and it's the Lancashire side Clarke is most concerned about.

"I just think to myself, they've dropped off a cliff, they've got Bristol City away, I fancy Hull to get something at Portsmouth," Clarke said.

"Fratton Park is a difficult place to go to... but they are on holiday aren't they?"

Listen to the full episode and more on the Football Daily podcast.

Image source, Getty Images

Hull City captain Lewie Coyle has said it is his responsibility to keep the squad upbeat about their chances of Championship survival.

City's 1-0 home defeat at relegation rivals Derby County saw the Tigers fall into the relegation zone and one point from safety ahead of their final match of the season at Portsmouth on Saturday.

"It's my responsibility to pick the lads up when we come back in on Monday with full focus ahead to try and win the game against Portsmouth," Coyle told BBC Radio Humberside.

"I am going to make sure this next week I'm really upbeat and I'm really positive.

"Everybody is fully against us with how it now looks but not me and not this squad.

"We'll go into next week and we'll make sure we do everything we can to win the game."

Image source, PA Media

Hull City head coach Ruben Selles spoke to BBC Radio Humberside after his side was beaten 1-0 by Derby County to drop into the relegation places.

"The entire game changed when we conceded that goal and they managed the time at the end," he said.

"It was that final pass or the finishing action which we lacked. I don't think they were at any moment threatening us, we limited them to two shots and paid the price for not defending that set-piece well.

"I don't think our final product was good enough but I think we invested enough to get something from the game today.

"I think the players were as focused as they could be. The reality was the game was about one goal and in one action we lost it."

Victory for Hull City on Saturday (15:00 BST) will assure them of Championship football next season, while a win for Derby could move them within sight of another campaign of second-tier football.

• Hull City have won just one of their past 11 league games against Derby (D2 L8), beating them 2-0 in October 2019.

• Derby have alternated between winning (five) and not winning (D1 L3) in their past nine away games against Hull, beating them 1-0 on their last visit in August 2021.

• Hull won their last league game against Preston, but only once this season have the Tigers won consecutive league games (three in a row in September-October).

• Having won just one of their first 18 away league games this season (D5 L12), Derby have now won two of their past four on the road (D1 L1).

• Only Luton have scored fewer goals (41) and have a lower shot conversion rate (8.3%) than Hull City in the Championship this season (43 goals, 8.6% conversion).

Image source, Rex Features

Joao Pedro hopes he can save Hull City from the drop in the final two games of the season.

The Tigers sit two places and two points ahead of the drop zone ahead of the visit of Derby, one place below, to the MKM Stadium on Saturday (15:00 BST), with a trip to Portsmouth to follow on 3 May.

The 33-year-old Brazilian has scored just six goals in 33 appearances since arriving in August after spending last season on loan at Turkish side Fenerbahce from Gremio in his homeland, but hopes to finish the campaign on a high.

Speaking through an interpreter, the former Cagliari forward told BBC Radio Humberside: "I am happy, even if the season could be more productive.

"I found a club which is well organised, this league is tough but the fans are excellent, they are passionate and they support the team.

"This is exactly what I needed – a team that would enable me to put fire in my game and play beautiful football.

"The two previous seasons in Turkey and Brazil were tough - I needed this, the love to play football again."

The last of his six goals came at Bristol City on 8 March, arriving moments before he was sent-off for violent conduct and banned for three games.

Joao Pedro added: "I had no bad intentions. It's a matter of interpretation for me and the ref. I tried to protect both of us. I am sorry I affected the team, but it happens in football, it's part of the game.

"What we want the most now is to finish the season well and achieve our main goal.

"I have no doubts that we will overcome the situation with the help of teammates, leadership, the manager, the fans – together.

"We do not deserve to be in this situation. I don't fear we will have a bad ending. We will have to work hard, it will be tough, we need to improve, but I want to play some good games and save Hull City."

Joao Pedro's one-year contract expires this summer but he says it's 'too early' to think about next season, adding: "I am very happy to be here, it's early to be thinking about next season.

"It's not worth putting energy onto this because right now we are in an important time of the season, we want to finish well and I hope we can save Hull City from this delicate situation."

Image source, Getty Images

Hull City's Joe Gelhardt says the Tigers must "take more risks" when they attack to help get the results they need to stay in the Championship.

Only relegation rivals Luton Town (41) have scored fewer goals than the 43 Hull have managed across 44 games this season.

Ruben Selles' side came from behind to beat Preston 2-1 on Easter Monday in what was only the ninth league match in which they've scored two or more goals.

"We want to score goals, and I think we need to take more risks in the final third sometimes," Gelhardt told BBC Radio Humberside.

"If the ball isn't in the box, you're never going to score, so at some point we know we've got to take more risks and have more shots on goal - or even crosses into the box - and flood the box."

Three of the teams below Hull - who are two points clear of the drop zone in 20th - also won on Monday, but Gelhardt says he's looking up the table.

"As long as we get the three points, it doesn't matter what's going on around us," said the Leeds loanee, who has scored three goals in 16 games since arriving in January.

"Preston were four points ahead of us; now it's one, so instead of looking down at other teams, let's look up and try and catch other teams.

"That's my perspective on it."

Hull welcome 21st-placed Derby County for what Gelhardt described as a "massive" encounter on Saturday afternoon.

"We will do everything we can this week in preparation to come back here and get the three points," he added.

"We're all fully focused on that, and we'll do what it takes."

Listen to Joe Gelghardt's interview on BBC Sounds.

Image source, Rex Features

Hull City head coach Ruben Selles says the victory over Preston North End was "simply massive" in their battle to avoid relegation.

Joe Gelhardt scored two second-half penalties as the Tigers came from a goal down to defeat North End.

With three of the four teams below them winning, Hull needed this result to maintain a two-point cushion above the relegation zone.

And with just two games to go, Hull welcome Derby County - the team immediately below them - on Saturday in a pivotal match.

"I know in this part of the season things become so tight and emotional that every moment and action is crucial," Selles told BBC Radio Humberside.

"At the end it was a fantastic feeling.

"In the second half we showed what we want to be. We showed a lot of character.

"I'm happy for the boys because they have been working hard to get the points and we didn't get as many as we wanted or as we deserved but it doesn't matter right now because the attitude has always been good.

"The three points today is simply massive to keep us with the two-point advantage and gives us the belief and feeling that we have been trying to find."

Image source, Rex Features

Hull City defender John Egan says the penalty decision that went against him during their 1-0 loss to Swansea City is "tough to take".

The penalty was awarded for a handball, though replays show that Zan Vipotnik's shot hit Egan in the face.

It was then converted by Vipotnik and proved to be the match winner.

"It's hard to speak because it's so raw. They were on top first half and then obviously the penalty in the second half has decided the game. The ball has hit my face so I don't know how they've given the penalty.

"I don't think the ref gave it, I think the linesman gave it. I asked him to speak to the linesman because the ball hit my face so he can't be 100% sure. They didn't want to do that. It's a tough one to take.

"To lose a game in that manner is frustrating. It's a tough loss to take. We've three huge games left now, we've got to dust ourselves down and go again."

Hull City's late leveller against Coventry City in their previous game might just prove vital to the Tigers' hopes of steering clear of the relegation battle.

That 1-1 draw keeps them three points above the bottom three but, with their vastly superior goal difference to the three teams in trouble, it's effectively four.

The Swans are on a roll, with three wins on the spin and still have a super-slim chance of sneaking into the top six.

• Swansea City have lost just one of their past nine home league games against Hull City (W3 D5), including none of their last five (W2 D3).

• After beating Swansea 2-1 in December, Hull could do the league double over them for the first time since 2016-17 in the Premier League.

• Since beating Rotherham 4-3 in 2019, Swansea are winless in their past four league games on Good Friday (D3 L1).

• Hull are unbeaten in each of their past two away league games on Good Friday (W1 D1), beating Crewe Alexandra 2-1 in 2021 and drawing 4-4 with Sunderland in 2023.

• Swansea have won each of their past three league games without conceding, the Swans last won four successive league games without conceding in March 2008.

Mike White
BBC Radio Humberside, sports editor & Hull City commentator

Image source, Rex Features

Consistently inconsistent is the best way to describe a side who haven't won back-to-back games since October under then-head coach Tim Walter, so attempting to predict how City will finish is like trying to plait fog.

The less said about the German's brief stay in East Yorkshire, the better. But they are where they are in no small part thanks to his failed attempt to conquer the English game with a style that left most scratching their heads.

Depending on what time of day you ask Tigers fans, I sense there's a cautious optimism that they will be OK and will just… emphasis on just… survive - if not from their own doing but what others may not do.

However, they shouldn't be leaving anything to chance, although I don't believe anybody inside the inner sanctum of the club will be doing that.

The biggest issue outside of a lack of consistency is a lack of goals and conceding in sloppy and familiar ways (10 of their 50 goals against have come in the opening 10 minutes after half-time).

They offer little in terms of a threat in front of goal and are the second lowest scorers in the division (41) ahead of Luton (37) - and if you're using them as a benchmark for attacking prowess this season, you're in 'clutching at straws' territory.

Hull have to go to Swansea, who are unbeaten in four and have won the their past three, before returning to their less-than-productive MKM Stadium home for an Easter Monday meeting with Preston.

The Tigers then host Derby in what currently looks like being a pivotal game depending on how this weekend shapes up.

Of course it could all be settled by that point and certainly the hope is that's the case by the time Ruben Selles' side make the long trip to Portsmouth on the final day.

Image source, Rex Features

Hull City forward Abu Kamara claims he plotted his equalising goal with teammate Nordin Amrabat from the bench in the 1-1 draw against Coventry City.

Kamara and Amrabat were introduced just before the hour mark in a double substitution by head coach Ruben Selles with the Tigers a goal down following Matt Grimes' deflected opener for the Sky Blues.

With eight minutes of normal time remaining, Amrabat's pinpoint crossfield pass found Kamara in space and his curling effort towards the far corner hit Coventry defender Jay Dasilva, creeping in at the near post to earn Hull a share of the spoils.

"Me and Nordin were just having a conversation talking about how we were going to link up [before the double substitution]," Kamara told BBC Radio Humberside.

"He just said to me to make that darting run in behind the full-back, and that's how the goal came along.

"All I had to do was touch and shoot, the pass was on the money really."

Kamara's fifth league goal of the season for the Tigers saw them go three points clear of the Championship relegation zone with just four matches remaining and the 21-year-old says he remains confident about his side's survival chances.

"It feels great to be honest, coming on and playing a massive role in getting a point towards our goal is just everything to me," he added.

"I want to keep this team up and I think we're more than capable of staying up in this league."