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).
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.
Stoke City have only won more away games in the EFL against West Bromwich Albion (26) than Hull City (14 – level with Wolves).
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.
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).
Against no side has Hull City’s Matt Crooks scored more goals against in the EFL than Stoke City (5 – level with Bristol City).