All articles by: Elliott Jackson

Hull vs Nottingham Forest – Match Preview

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Hull vs Nottingham Forest – Match Preview – Hull City host Nottingham Forest in the Skybet Championship this weekend.

Hull currently sit in 14th place, just six points off the play-off places. A crucial 1-0 away win at Barnsley last time out will have raised those promotion hopes, with Hull now unbeaten in their last three games. At home, Hull need to improve. Leonid Slutsky’s team have won only three of their home games this season and if they want to push for the play-off places, they need to be stronger at the KCOM Stadium.

Grosicki has scored three goals so far this season for Hull Photo Credit: skysports.com

Away from home, Hull have improved recently. Only a last-minute equaliser denied them all three points at Norwich before they won at Oakwell last time out. In that game, Fraizer Campbell grabbed the all-important goal, with the former Crystal Palace striker now finding his feet back in Hull colours.

Hull’s main issue this season has been keeping the ball out of their own net. The Tigers have conceded 20 league goals in just 13 games, with only five clubs conceding more. With experienced players like Alan McGregor and Michael Dawson, they should be performing better and they’ll need more consistency if they’re to push for the top six.

Forest travel to Yorkshire just four points behind sixth-placed Norwich. After a disappointing loss against rivals Derby, Mark Warburton’s men responded with a 2-0 win against Burton last game. That win gave them back to back home wins, a feat they hadn’t achieved yet this season. Forest have lost four of their last six games and need to try to learn how to get results on the road if they’re to hope of gaining a top-six berth.

Murphy can cause problems to the Hull defence Photo Credit: skysports.com

Like Hull, Forest’s main problem is conceding goals. They’ve conceded one more than their hosts and have won just two away games all season. On the road they’ve leaked 12 goals in just six games, averaging two goals a match.

Hull have lost only one of their last eight meetings against Forest. The Tigers haven’t lost at home to Forest since 2013 when a late Lewis McGugan strike was the difference. In those last eight games, these two clubs have served up 14 goals. Given the defensive frailties in both teams, I suspect we’ll see a few come Saturday.

 

Prediction: Hull 2-1 Nottingham Forest

 

SKYBET: HULL TO WIN 2-1- 17/2

SKYBET: BARRIE MACKAY TO SCORE FIRST AND 1-1 DRAW- 50/1

SKYBET: MURPHY AND CAMPBELL TO BOTH SCORE- 6/1

SKYBET: CORRECT GROUP SCORE HULL TO WIN 1-0, 2-0 OR 2-1- 21/10

SKYBET: BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE IN BOTH HALVES- 14/1

SKYBET: BTTS AND OVER 2.5 GOALS- 11/10

SKYBET: BTTS AND FOREST TO WIN- 5/1

Leeds United vs Sheffield United – Match Preview

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Leeds United vs Sheffield United – Match Preview – Fourth play third on Friday as Leeds host Sheffield United in an all Yorkshire affair.

Leeds got back to winning ways last time out with a resounding 3-0 win against fellow play-off side Bristol City. Before that win, Thomas Christiansen’s men had won just one of their last five games losing four. Despite that wobble, Leeds still sit in fourth place, which underlines their promising start they’ve had to this season.

At home, Leeds have lost only once this season. That was last time out against Reading but previous to that game, they had won their last three. Leeds home form has been built on an ability to keep clean sheets. They’ve conceded just three goals at home so far this season and have shut out the opposition on four occasions.

Saiz has scored 8 goals in 13 appearances for Leeds Photo Credit: skysports.com

Leeds’s achilles heel has been their inability to come from behind in games. On each occasion they have gone behind in a game, they have lost. A worrying statistic for Thomas Christiansen which shows an inability to grind out results in the face of adversity.

Sheffield United are in dreamland. Following promotion from League One last season, United fans could have only dreamt of a start like this. The club are level on points with second-placed Cardiff and are just two points off Wolves who are top.

Whilst the Blades have exceeded expectation, all their defeats this season have come on the road. Chris Wilder’s side have won two of three of their six away games and have won three of their last four. Last time on the road they came unstuck at Nottingham Forest who came away with a 2-1 victory. The Blades’ winning run has been built around their solidity at the back. Only Cardiff have conceded fewer in the Championship, whilst United also have five clean sheets to their name.

Sharp will hope to star against his old club Photo Credit: skysports.com

Two players who could define the outcome on Friday are Samuel Saiz and Billy Sharp. Leeds’s number 21 has been a key figure since signing in the summer with eight goals in 13 appearances. For United, Sharp has continued to be an integral part of the side following his 30-goal haul last season. The former Leeds striker managed just five goals in his time at Elland Road but has already equalled that tally this season for the Blades.

This game will be a fiercely contested match, with little between the two sides. With Leeds’s impressive home form, I think they might just edge it.

 

Prediction: Leeds 1-0 Sheff United

 

SKYBET: LEEDS TO WIN 1-0- 6/1
SKYBET: LEEDS TO WIN TO NIL- 11/4
SKYBET: SHARP AND LASSOGA TO BOTH SCORE- 13/2
SKYBET: BTTS AND DRAW- 3/1
SKYBET: BTTS AND OVER 2.5 MATCH GOALS- 11/8
SKYBET: SAMUEL SAIZ TO SCORE A BRACE- 12/1
SKYBET: UNITED TO WIN AND CLARKE TO SCORE FIRST- 30/1

Carabao Cup – Swansea vs Man United – Match Preview

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Carabao Cup – Swansea vs Man United – Match Preview – With a place in the quarter-finals at stake, Manchester United take a trip to Wales to face Swansea City.

After their dramatic 2-1 defeat to Premier League new-boys Huddersfield Town, Jose Mourinho will be hoping his side can return to winning ways. That defeat was United’s first in the league this campaign, which sees them now five points behind neighbours Manchester City.

The defeat at the weekend was far from acceptable. In typical Mourinho fashion, the United boss made no bones about his side’s performance as they struggled at the John Smiths Stadium. Given that result, it wouldn’t surprise me if he named a strong team, as he looks to get them back on track.

One positive from the match was Marcus Rashford. The England youngster has excelled this season and one of a few players who performed well at the weekend. With eight goals this season already, he is enjoying his best spell as a United player and has two goals in his last two. Often played out wide by Mourinho this year, Rashford may get his chance in his preferred central role on Tuesday night.

Rashford has been in great form for Man Utd so far this season Photo Credit: skysports.com

Swansea boss Paul Clement was left with plenty to ponder after his side suffered another home defeat. Leicester City’s victory at the Liberty Stadium means the Swans’ have won just one of their five home games this season. The Swans’ currently sit in 15th place, level on points with third-bottom Everton. With just two wins this season, the pressure is firmly on the former Bayern Munich assistant manager to drag them up the league table.

Goals have been hard to come by for the Swans, with just six this season. That is the joint lowest in the Premier League, with only Bournemouth equalling that total. At the back, Swansea have conceded nine goals at home and only one away from home. That would suggest they are trying to be more offensive but are getting caught at the back as a consequence.

Tammy Abraham will be expected to lead the line against Man Utd Photo Credit: skysports.com

When these two met early in the season, United came away with a 4-0 away victory. Whilst the end score was emphatic, United scored three goals in the last ten minutes to add gloss to the full-time result. In the match, Swansea were more than competitive and had chances to get something from the game. United have won three of the clubs last four meetings, with Swansea’s last victory coming back in 2015.

With United licking their wounds after their humiliation at the weekend, I can only see them progressing in this tie.

 

Prediction: Swansea City 0-2 Manchester United

 

SKYBET: MANCHESTER UNITED TO WIN 2-0- 11/2
SKYBET: RASHFORD TO SCORE FIRST AND UNITED TO WIN 3-1- 28/1
SKYBET: BTTS AND OVER 2.5 GOALS- 13/8
SKYBET: ABRAHAM AND MARTIAL TO BOTH SCORE- 6/1
SKYBET: SWANSEA TO WIN 2-1- 22/1
SKYBET: BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE IN BOTH HALVES- 25/1
SKYBET SCORECAST BOOST: MARTIAL TO SCORE FIRST AND UNITED TO WIN 2-0- 22/1