Hull City vs Leeds United. Sky Bet Championship.
MKM StadiumAttendance16,178.
Watch live on Sky Sports Football from midday on Saturday; kick-off is at 12.30pm
Friday 28 February 2020 17:41, UK
Hull face Leeds in the Sky Bet Championship on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Football.
Hull striker Tom Eaves has been ruled out of Saturday's Sky Bet Championship clash with Leeds after being told his season is over. The 28-year-old suffered ankle ligament damage in last weekend's 2-1 defeat at Preston and has been ruled out for the remainder of the campaign, joining Eric Lichaj and Herbie Kane on the sidelines with similar issues.
Head coach Grant McCann, who will have loanee Mallik Wilks available once again after he was ineligible to play against parent club Barnsley in midweek, is also awaiting news on casualties from the 1-0 defeat by the Tykes. With fellow defender Reece Burke (calf) already ruled out, Jon Toral suffered a hamstring injury and Jordy De Wijs hobbled off with a damaged calf muscle, and all three are being assessed.
Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa will play a waiting game with midfielder Kalvin Phillips after he missed Wednesday night's 1-0 win at Middlesbrough with the injury which forced his first-half exit from Saturday's victory over Reading. Phillips had been expected to be available at the Riverside Stadium, but was ruled out on the morning of the match and Bielsa will take no chances with him.
Striker Jean-Kevin Augustin also sat out the trip to Teesside with a hamstring problem and will do so once again. Meanwhile, midfielder Adam Forshaw will miss the rest of the season after undergoing hip surgery.
Hull have been dragged into the Championship relegation battle this month, with a 1-0 defeat to Barnsley in midweek leaving them winless in their last nine matches.
In stark contrast, Leeds are ticking closer to automatic promotion each week. Marcelo Bielsa's men are unbeaten in their last three, each of which they've won by a goal to nil.
Hull's Grant McCann: "Confidence is a big thing in life, never mind football. At the minute, we have a low group, but it is our job to pick them up. We have to pick them up and go again. In tough times you've got to stick together and stay strong. The belief has got to run through the group.
"We aren't stupid. We know the position we're in. It's probably the longest run as a player or a manager I've gone without winning. There has been a lot of negativity surrounding us already over the last two months, but we are not making any excuses. We know we haven't performed - it's as simple as that."
Leeds' Marcelo Bielsa: TBC
Who will be part of the unfortunate trio to lose their Championship status? We take a look...
Hull have failed to score in their last two home league games against Leeds, drawing 0-0 in January 2018 and losing 0-1 last season.
Leeds are looking to record a league double over Hull for the first time since the 1989-90 season, when they won promotion from the second tier.
Leeds last played on a leap year day in 2016, losing 4-0 against Brighton and Hove Albion under Steve Evans.
Hull are winless in 10 games in all competitions - they haven't gone 11 without a win since February 2010.
Leeds have won their last three league games 1-0 - they last won four consecutive league games 1-0 back in December 1964.
Hull are one of three Championship teams yet to win at home in 2020, along with Middlesbrough and Reading.
You have to worry for Hull. Just four points separate themselves and the relegation zone now after an alarming run of form.
Leeds are doing just enough. They have won three games 1-0 in a row. It's not making it easy for their fans, but as long as they keep winning that's all that matters! They should win again here, they might even score more than once!
David Prutton predicts: 0-2 (6/1 with Sky Bet)
