McKenna: The process will Be a High-Level Game

Town play Hull City at Portman Road on Tuesday evening, looking to reclaim first place in the Championship.Following Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Huddersfield, the Blues fell to second place behind Leicester City following the Foxes’ 4-1 hammering of Blackburn at Ewood Park on Sunday.

With Leicester not playing again until Wednesday, when they host third-placed Preston North End, the Blues will be back on top for at least 24 hours if they defeat the Tigers.

Hull are now fifth in the Championship, six points behind Town. The Tigers drew 1-1 with Plymouth Argyle at home on Saturday.

The visitors are unbeaten in eight games, with their lone league loss coming on the opening day, a 2-1 defeat.

Only two clubs in the Championship have conceded fewer goals than the Tigers this season, compared to Town’s 11.

“I think they’re a really good team,” Town TV’s manager Kieran McKenna said. “They’re well-coached, have very good recruitment, brought in good players in the summer, have a good profile, a clear style of play, and it should be a really good match.”

“It’s no surprise that they’ve started well; we’d expect them to have a really strong season, but it’s up to us to go and deliver a performance and give ourselves the best chance on Tuesday night.” That is the challenge, and it is something we are looking forward to.”

When asked about the Tigers’ strong away form, McKenna said, “They’re a well-organized team, it’s probably fairly typical.”

The game on Tuesday is the first of two at home in five days, with Preston visiting Portman Road on Saturday. McKenna, on the other hand, claims he’s not thinking about that game right now since Hull has his whole attention.

“We’re just focused on Hull at the moment,” he stated. “A difficult opponent, it’s going to be a really good game, and all eyes are on it.”

“Saturday will come after this one, so everything is fully focused on the next game and respecting what’s ahead of us and looking forward to a Tuesday night under the lights.”

Town were missing Nathan Broadhead at Huddersfield owing to a thigh injury, which could keep the Wales international out tomorrow night, while another Welshman Lee Evans limped.

If Broadhead is ruled out, McKenna is likely to start with the same trio behind the striker as at Huddersfield, Wes Burns, Conor Chaplin, and Omari Hutchinson, though Marcus Harness may have pushed his way into the reckoning following his impressive performance against Wolves in the Carabao Cup last week, where he picked up three assists.

George Hirst is expected to start at nine, with Freddie Ladapo coming off the bench in the second half.

Hull will be missing midfielder Ozan Tufan, who is expected to miss the game due to a recurrence of his recent thigh injury.

But there is good news for boss and former Blues loanee Liam Rosenior: winger Jason Lokilo and midfielder Harry Vaughan (both ankle) are expected to be eligible for Tuesday.

Forward Allahyar Sayyadmanesh was scheduled to be evaluated on Monday due to tightness in his adductor.

Hull have won 19 of the 19 meetings between the teams (18 in the league), whereas Town have won nine times (nine) and a further eleven (11) matches have been drawn.

McKenna: It’ll Be a High-Level Game Monday, 2nd Oct 2023 16:19 Town host Hull City at Portman Road on Tuesday evening, looking to reclaim first place in the Championship.

Following Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Huddersfield, the Blues fell to second place behind Leicester City following the Foxes’ 4-1 hammering of Blackburn at Ewood Park on Sunday.

With Leicester not playing again until Wednesday, when they host third-placed Preston North End, the Blues will be back on top for at least 24 hours if they defeat the Tigers.

Hull are now fifth in the Championship, six points behind Town. The Tigers drew 1-1 with Plymouth Argyle at home on Saturday.

Sone Aluko played for Hull City between the summers of 2012 and 2016, making 64 starts and 44 substitute appearances and scoring 15 goals.

The former Nigeria international was a member of the side that gained promotion from the Championship after placing second in 2012/13, and he went on to play in the Premier League for the next two seasons.

Rosenior, Tigers manager, spent the 2009/10 season on loan at Town from Reading under Roy Keane, making 28 starts and three substitute appearances and scoring once.

Richard Naylor, the Wembley 2000 play-off final’s man of the match, is Hull’s head of academy coaching.

Tuesday’s referee is Manchester’s Matt Donohue, who has shown 37 yellow cards and no red cards in seven games this season.

Donohue has already referred one Town game.