Hull vs Sheffield Utd prediction: ENGLAND: Championship betting tips on match 2022-09-03 14:00.
Hull manager Shota Arveladze is warning his side against another “sloppy start” as they host bitter rivals and Championship leaders Sheffield United at the MKM Stadium. The Tigers conceded three goals before the break as they were beaten by QPR on Tuesday night, meaning their leaky defence had conceded more goals (13) than any other team in the second tier at the conclusion of matchday seven.
Despite that unwanted statistic, Hull are still enjoying a much better start to the season than many predicted. They already have 11 points, a figure it took them 17 games to reach in 2021/22, nine of which they have picked up on Humberside thanks to three wins from three at home. That record will be severely put to the test against United though, who Hull have beaten just once in their last seven H2H meetings (D2, L4).
The hosts will also need to be wary of a Blades side that have the best attack in the entire Football League, having scored 14 times in their opening seven matches. Two of those goals came from striker Oli McBurnie, who ended a 44-game wait for a league goal by netting against Luton, and followed that up with the opener in the midweek thrashing of Reading.
Manager Paul Heckingbottom will almost certainly have concerns about his side’s form on the road though, with only two of their 14 points picked up on their travels (D2, L1). Those away day blues in fact stretch back to early February, since when United have managed just one victory in ten outings, excluding play-offs (D4, L5), keeping just two clean sheets in the process.
Players to watch: Hull’s Óscar Estupiñán leads the Championship goalscoring charts so far this year with seven goals in seven appearances. Meanwhile, Blades forward Iliman Ndiaye has scored eight goals in his last 14 matches in the second tier after netting against Reading on Tuesday.
Hot stat: Both teams have scored in six of Hull’s seven games, the joint most in the Championship ahead of the round.