PR: Hull City vs Sunderland

In our continued partnership with Hull City OSC, the preview this week has been written by Lee James Dolman. Lee looks ahead to Hull City’s final match before Christmas.

Rest in peace Dr. Assem Allam
01.08.1939 Egypt – 02.12.2012 Hull. Businessman, philanthropist and former Hull City Chairman during the clubs most successful era to date.

From Wearside to Humberside
Welcome to the Black Cats who we first played against in 1920 in the FA Cup. Sunderland won 6-2. They were then knocked out by Aston Villa who went on to win the Final against Huddersfield Town. We have since met 46 times. Sunderland have won 22 times, City 15 with 9 draws. Only 3 games have ended 0-0.

Sleeping Giants
The spotlight is currently on their Tyneside bitter rivals but the Wearside club has won the 1st Division title six times. Runners up 5 times. Two FA Cup wins. Their average attendance in League One last year was 38,095. A true sleeping giant.

Premier League Rivalry
In recent years we have met our antagonists 10 times in the Premier League, with Sunderland winning 6. The highlight though was City’s 3-0 Home win in the FA Cup 6th Round which took us to Wembley for the semi-final and then the 2014 FA Cup Final.

Championship Form
Sunderland have won 4 lost 5 and drawn 1 of their last 10 games. They will, as always fill the away end, despite a rail strike.

Today’s Match
Tony Mowbray will be hoping that his leading scorer Ross Stewart is fit again after he was left out on Monday with a thigh strain. He has been out injured since August.

Meanwhile, Hull City can now welcome back Oscar, batteries recharged, after a 3-game ban.

Liam Rosenior has plugged the leakiest defence in the league (6 own goals!) with another clean sheet on Sunday against Watford. We now need to start winning at home to lift us away from the relegation zone and to give the home crowd something to cheer.

Prediction
My mother-in-law is a Sunderland fan. I also have friends in Sunderland, who took me to a Sunderland v Newcastle match, with the pub open at 07:30 on a Sunday morning. I arrived at 08:30 and couldn’t believe how many empty glasses were on the tables, hundreds of pints already downed. The landlady then brought out trays of bacon sandwiches, on the house.

I could have split loyalties BUT football is partisan. You are born to support ONE team, you stick with that team and there are NO split loyalties. Half-and-half scarves have no place in football. Get behind your team and become the 12th man.

My prediction is Hull City 1v0 Sunderland (Oscar)

Keep it tight at the back to keep us in the game. Hopefully, Ross Stewart will be rusty after a long absence, whereas Oscar will be fit and fully refreshed.

My starting line-up would be: Ingram; Christie, A. Jones, McLoughlin, Greaves (C); Slater, Seri, Woods; Tufan, Oscar.

Happy 20th birthday to the MKM Stadium aka The Circle.