Hull City

Image source, BBC Sport

Luton welcome fellow Championship strugglers Hull City to Kenilworth Road on Saturday for a vital clash between two sides tied on 15 points and only above the drop zone on goal difference.

The Hatters have lost five of their last nine games (W2 D2), including a 5-1 thrashing at Middlesbrough last time out, while the Tigers are winless in seven (D3 L4) following a 2-1 defeat at home to West Brom before the international break.

• Luton Town are unbeaten across their last five league games against Hull City (W4 D1), keeping four clean sheets during that stint.

• Hull City have lost just one of their last five away league games against Luton (W3 D1), with each of those victories seeing the Tigers score 2+ goals in the process.

• Luton have lost 20 league games in 2024, their most in a calendar year since they lost 21 games back in 2015.

• Hull are winless in their last seven league games (D3 L4), losing each of the last two games. The Tigers haven't lost three in a row since a run of five in August/September 2022.

• Luton's Alfie Doughty has created the most chances in the Championship this season (45) and has amassed 69 successful crosses – 39 more than anyone else.

Former Hull City player Peter Swan says the pressure is building on club owner Acun Ilicali after a poor start to the season.

The Tigers are 19th in the Championship and travel to fellow strugglers Luton Town on Saturday looking to end a run of seven games without a win (D3 L4).

Tim Walter was appointed head coach after Liam Rosenior was sacked at the end of last season having finished seventh, missing out on the play-offs by just three points.

"I think the pressure is on the owner," Swan told BBC Radio Humberside.

"I said that at the start because I thought the club was going in the right direction before, when Liam was in charge. He saw it differently did the owner.

"They wanted entertainment so he's brought in the manager to try and give that. We haven't seen that. I haven't seen improvement in the players."

Swan said Walter's plan A "is not working" and does not agree with Ilicali's suggestion that the Tigers have been "unlucky".

"All teams go through it. It seems to balance itself out," Swan added, of Hull City's injuries and suspensions.

"Unlucky? No, I just don't think we're good enough. I just don't think the players have got the quality to fight for the top 10."

Swan said "all the pressure was on the owner" at the start of the season and not the manager.

"The manager has come in, there's no pressure on him," Swan added.

"The owner's made the decision to make that change when 80% of the fans thought we're going in a direction quicker than we thought really.

"The club is resting on his decisions [Ilicali]. If he's going to stick with him [Walter], I think he needs to have a chat with him and say look, we need a plan B or even a plan C here.

"Because what we're doing, we're not getting better, the players aren't improving and I still don't believe they trust in how he wants them to play."

Listen to Peter Swan's analysis in full on BBC Sounds here.

Image source, Getty Images

Kasey Palmer endured a disappointing week with Jamaica as they were knocked out of the Concacaf Nations League in the quarter-final by holders USA.

Palmer played 58 minutes in a 1-0 loss in the first leg on Friday and was an unused substitute in a 4-2 defeat in the return leg on Tuesday.

Gustavo Puerta was called up to the squad for Colombia's World Cup qualifiers but did not feature in the 3-2 defeat in Uruguay or 1-0 loss at home to Ecuador.

Those results leave Colombia fourth in the South American qualifying standings with 19 points and six games remaining.

The top six teams will automatically qualify for the tournament in 2026, with the side in seventh reaching the inter-confederation play-offs.

Hull City travel to fellow Championship strugglers Luton Town on Saturday afternoon, looking for their first win in eight games to move them up from 19th.

Image source, BBC Sport/Rex Features

There are two Hull City players who have been called up for senior international duty this week:

• Kasey Palmer for Jamaica

• Gustavo Puerta for Colombia

Midfielder Oscar Zambrano missed out on a place in Ecuador's squad after being hit with a doping ban in November.

You can keep up to date with how they are getting on using our scores and fixtures list.

Image source, Rex Features

Under-pressure Hull City head coach Tim Walter says his out-of-sorts side must "fight and stick together" following their 2-1 defeat to West Bromwich Albion on Sunday.

The loss was their seventh successive game without a win in the Championship and left them in 19th place, above the bottom three on goal difference.

But the Tigers German boss believes they are making strides and need to keep their spirits up.

"We are not happy with the result but the improvement in the performance was obvious. That's what keeps me strong and keeps me happy," Walter told BBC Radio Humberside.

"If you have a negative run, like we are having, all you can do is fight against it and stick together.

"We need big character and that's what we showed. I know the results will come. We need a bit more luck."

Another thing Walter, who recently asked for an open conversation with the fans, was happy with was the vocal support within MKM Stadium against the Baggies - despite some calls from home fans to bring his time at club to an end.

"The reaction from our fans was brilliant. They tried to keep us up and to keep us in the game. That was really good and I'm really pleased," former Hamburg boss Walter said.

You can read the full match report here.

Image source, Rex Features

Hull City manager Tim Walter has admitted his side's performance in their 1-0 defeat by Oxford was not good enough.

Walter's team dominated possession and had ten more shots than the home side but were beaten by Hidde ter Avest's 55th minute goal.

"“We lost again and that’s the problem at the moment.

"It’s all about development and improvement and I can see the signs but when something happened against us we couldn’t find the red line again," Walter told BBC Radio Humberside.

"We are not resilient enough and for a young squad that is important, and to get in the right moments.

“All we can do is stick together, work and fight hard against these situations. It’s not easy for us but they are good boys and keep working."

The Tigers' current poor run of six games without a win leaves them just three points above the relegation zone ahead of Sunday's home match with West Brom.

"We will stick together, we will keep going because they are good lads and we have a really good relationship," added Walter.

Image source, Getty Images

Hull City manager Tim Walter says Abu Kamara has not sustained a serious injury after the England Under-20s winger limped off on Saturday.

Kamara was withdrawn in the 82nd minute of Hull's 1-1 draw with Portsmouth after taking a heavy knock to his ankle.

However, his injury is not as serious as first thought after the former Norwich forward was spotted leaving MKM Stadium in a protective boot.

Despite the good news, Hull's trip to Oxford United on Tuesday night has come slightly too soon for Kamara to be deemed fit for action.

"It's not really good so for today he is not an option, but hopefully he is back on the weekend," Walter told BBC Radio Humberside.

"It's not that bad but it's still painful so he cannot play [against Oxford]."

Kamara, who signed for Hull in the summer, joins Steven Alzate, Liam Millar, Marvin Mehlem and Carl Rushworth on the sidelines as the Tigers' injury problems mount.

However, Walter is not letting bad luck excuse a poor run of form.

"We have to accept it," the German said. "It's the chance for other players to step in and show what they can do and to prove how good they are.

"I am very comfortable with my team, I am 100% convinced of my team and for that we will have a good sub for him."

Image source, BBC Sport

Oxford United are looking for their first win in nine Championship games when they face Hull City on Tuesday, having drawn five and lost three since a 1-0 victory at home to Stoke on 14 September.

The Tigers are winless in five (D3 L2) going into the trip to the Kassam Stadium and have drawn each of their past three matches 1-1.

• Oxford United are unbeaten in their last 13 home league games against Hull City (W8 D5) since a 3-2 defeat in November 1975.

• This is the first time Oxford and Hull have faced in the second tier of English football since a 1-0 win for the U's back in March 1991.

• Oxford haven't won a league game in midweek since February against Wigan 4-2, drawing three of their five games since (L2).

• Hull have won just two of their last seven away league games (D2 L3), while they're winless in their last five league matches on the road to newly promoted sides (D2 L3).

• Six of Hull's eight away league goals this season have come in the second half, while the only game they've scored in the first 45 minutes of on the road this season was at QPR last month.

Image source, Getty Images

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