The Tigers are firmly entrenched in the thick of the promotion race
Hull City’s Matty Jacob celebrates the win over Swansea City(Image: Lee Keuneke/PA Wire)
Hull City are riding the crest of a wave that has so far lasted 28 games, with the Tigers sitting fourth in the Championship and on course to finish in the top six.
Saturday’s 2-1 win over Swansea City came on the back of impressive away victories at Southampton and Preston North End in the previous few days, and consolidated their position inside the play-offs on 50 points, more than they achieved in the whole of last season.
Their fine form, which has seen them win 15 times in the league, has done enough to see them backed to finish in the top six, according to stats experts Opta, who have used their data to predict the final league table.
The boffins at Opta believe City will finish where they’re currently sitting, in fourth, behind Ipswich Town, who are expected to hold onto third. While the current top two of Coventry City and Middlesbrough will remain as it is, despite the Sky Blues’ current iffy spell.
Crucially, though, Opta believe City have the best chance of winning promotion should they go into the play-offs, which will also see Millwall and Wrexham retain their spots, ahead of Watford, Bristol City and Stoke City.
Opta say the Tigers will finish on 77 points, and they give Sergej Jakirovic’s in-form side a 69.20 per cent chance of making a return to the Premier League after almost a decade away, via a Wembley final.
The Tractor Boys, who City will face in a crunch meeting at Portman Road on March 3, have been given a 59.90 per cent chance of going up through the play-offs, with Millwall ranked at 65 per cent and Phil Parkinson’s Welsh outfit 29.14 per cent.
At the other end, the current bottom three of Blackburn Rovers, Oxford United and Sheffield Wednesday will go down. Wednesday are all but down, but City’s opponents on Saturday, Rovers, along with the U’s, are backed to join the stricken South Yorkshire club in League One next term.
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Here’s the top of Opta’s final predicted table…
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