Championship promotion-chasing Hull City will look to continue their impressive run of form when they welcome a faltering Stoke City on New Year’s Day (15:00 GMT kick-off).
The Tigers are fourth and only two points off the automatic promotion places after a five-game unbeaten run (W4 D1), including an impressive 1-0 win at Middlesbrough last time out.
The Potters have slipped to 10th, four points adrift of the top six, after just two wins from their past 10 games (D1 L7).
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Hull City have lost this exact fixture in each of the past four campaigns, failing to score in three of those defeats. The Tigers lost 2-1 at home to the Potters last season.
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Stoke City have only won more away games in the EFL against West Bromwich Albion (26) than Hull City (14 – level with Wolves).
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Hull’s first league game of the year hasn’t ended in a draw in any of the past 12 years (W6 L6), since a goalless draw with Blackpool on New Year’s Day 2013.
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Stoke’s games on New Year’s Day in both 2024 (v Ipswich) and 2025 (v Burnley) ended goalless = only three teams have ever had three consecutive games on 1 January end 0-0 in the EFL: Hull City (1972-1977), Stoke City (1972-1977) and Hereford United (1994-2008).
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Against no side has Hull City’s Matt Crooks scored more goals against in the EFL than Stoke City (5 – level with Bristol City).
