Erik Pieters' dangerous cross is headed away by Michael Dawson for a Stoke corner.

It is taken by Xherdan Shaqiri but goes straight out for a goalkick. That was poor from the Switzerland international.

Five minutes gone here and Stoke are in the ascendency.

Xherdan Shaqiri had the best of the early chances, with a wonderful touch to bring down Bruno Martins Indi's long ball, but he then sliced his shot wide.

Lovely sunny day at the KCOM Stadium.

Joe Allen wins a free-kick which is taken by Xherdan Shaqiri who whips it in but it is headed away by David Meyler.

Some of these pre-game statistics don't make great reading for Hull fans..

•   Hull have won just one of their previous eight Premier League games against Stoke, three draws and four defeats
• Stoke have conceded just once in their last five Premier League games against the Tigers.
• Mark Hughes has never lost a Premier League game against Hull as a manager, winning three and drawing four.

Here come the teams, warm round of applause at the KCOM Stadium.

Michael Dawson leads Hull out onto the KCOM pitch for the first time this season.

Mark Lawrenson
Former Republic of Ireland defender on Football Focus

The score could have been anything last week (Bournemouth 6-1 Hull). Hull were abysmal. To lose your first game in charge conceding six goals is not good.

The problem is when you are down there you seem to follow those results in good form and Stoke have just started to pick up.

Stoke City manager Mark Hughes says midfielder Joe Allen has been surprising himself in recent weeks.

Image source, Reuters

Allen, 26, took his Premier League tally to four goals for the season, scoring twice in the 2-0 win over Sunderland.

The Wales international only netted four league goals in four seasons with Liverpool, but plays a more attacking role for Stoke.  

Hughes said: "Listening to Joe himself, I think he has actually surprised himself recently. When Joe gets in good positions he is able to take them. He's getting into positions that a striker does and finishing like one too."

Mark Hughes and Mike Phelan will know each other well from their Manchester United days.

They spent five years together at Old Trafford. 

Image source, Getty Images

Martin Fisher
Match of the Day commentator

Image source, Getty Images

Hull City's season is quickly plunging into the one many of their fans feared after winning promotion.

Early surprise victories in August have been followed by a rotten run of one point from six games, and last week's 6-1 thrashing at Bournemouth will have the alarm bells ringing.

Stoke's trajectory is heading in the opposite direction. Joe Allen's amazing goalscoring spree means they've gone three games unbeaten, finally picking up their first win over Sunderland last week.

Another win here will see them move out of the relegation zone and above Hull.

Nice shin pads.

Image source, Getty Images

Joe 'The Welsh Xavi/Pirlo' Allen is on fire at the moment.

The midfielder has scored in three consecutive Premier League games for the first time in his career.

The 26-year-old has found a new lease of life since his £13m move from Liverpool in the summer.

Allen has scored league four goals already this season, matching the figure he managed in four seasons at Anfield.

He comes up against a Hull defence that has conceded 17 goals in their last four games.

Image source, Getty Images

Long-time caretaker boss Mike Phelan was last week named head coach on a deal until the end of the season.

But August's manager of the month is yet to taste victory as a full-time manager.

The newly promoted Tigers surprised many by winning their first two games of the season despite a summer of turmoil and stretched playing resources.

Since then, however, they have gone five games in the league without a further win, picking up just one point. They have reached the fourth round of the EFL Cup by beating Stoke, and travel to Bristol City next.  

This week the club move closer to a £130m deal with a Far East consortium.

Image source, .

Hull make three changes to the team that lost 6-1 to Bournemouth, with Michael Dawson, David Meyler and Tom Huddlestone returning to the starting XI, in place of Harry Maguire, Andrew Robertson and Shaun Maloney.

Image source, .

Mark Hughes sticks with the same Stoke team that beat Sunderland as he searches for back-to-back league wins for the first time since March.

Image source, .

It may only be October but this is already a crucial game at the bottom of the Premier League as Hull, in 16th place, entertain 18th-placed Stoke.

The home side are having a terrible time of it at the moment, having lost their last four  games and without a league win since 20 August.

Stoke are slowly starting to find some form after a tough start and followed draws against West Brom and Manchester United with their first league win of the season, at Sunderland last week.

Let's just hope both teams buck the recent trend, which has seen just four goals in the last four Premier League games between the two.

Image source, Rex Features