Hull City vs Chelsea
Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior returns to the MKM Stadium in Hull on Friday night for a reunion with some good friends, and the small matter of an FA Cup fourth-round tie.
The Blues boss has made a good impression at Stamford Bridge, as he did at Strasbourg and before that at Hull City, where he managed between 2022 and 2024. He also played for the Tigers as a full-back with distinction, making 144 appearances between 2010 and 2015.
He knows Hull City well, and Rosenior will be under no illusions that his West End Boys of Chelsea will get an easy ride up in chilly East Yorkshire. This is a great match to kick off the FA Cup fourth round.
Sergej Jakirovic’s Hull City are riding high in the Championship, in fourth place and on course for a play-off place at least, seven points clear of seventh place. But the Tigers come into the game on the back of a 3-2 defeat at home to promotion rivals Bristol City, and a wounded tiger is always dangerous.
Chelsea have a home league match against Leeds United on Tuesday night, and they hope to follow up a weekend win over Wolverhampton Wanderers with another three points. But with more preparation time than their visitors, can the Tigers give Chelsea the blues on Friday? I wouldn’t put it past them.
Talking Points
Hull’s Premier ambitions
Since taking over at the helm last summer, Jakirovic has transformed a squad that finished 21st last season, narrowly avoiding relegation, to a group that looks perfectly comfortable in the Championship leading group, and Hull fans are dreaming of a return to top-flight football after a nine-year absence.
Jakirovic has plenty of experience in his squad with a smattering of former Premier League players. Battling centre-forward Oli McBurnie is the Championship’s second top scorer with 12 goals and five assists, and at 6’2”, the former Sheffield United star is a real handful, strong in the air, and loves to pick a fight with any centre-back.
And the Tigers have another former Blade in their ranks, with dominant midfielder John Lundstram on loan from Trabzonspor. Look out for Joe Geldhardt, who is on loan from Leeds United and has scored 10 goals in 24 appearances, while the defence will be marshalled by experienced Northern Ireland defender and Manchester United academy product Paddy McNair.
There is a big chasm between the Premier League and the Championship in terms of resources, but this group of Tigers will certainly be competitive.
Cup gives Chelsea’s young stars their chance
The Blues failed to end their barren run in the EFL Cup, losing the two-leg semi-final to London rivals Arsenal, but they are going pretty well in the Premier League and are playing their part in the English charge in the Champions League. The FA Cup 2026 betting odds pitch Chelsea as likely semi-finalists alongside fellow big guns Manchester City, Arsenal, and Liverpool, but as this is one of three priorities Rosenior will use is squad players in the FA Cup, and we should see a similar lineup to the one which hammered Charlton Athletic 5-1 in the third round.
20-year-old Spanish striker Marc Guiu looks set to lead the Chelsea line to give Cole Palmer, who scored a hat-trick against Wolves the other day, some much-needed rest. Towering centre-back Benoit Badiashile is a candidate to marshal the Blues’ defence, with 19-year-old wing-back Jorrel Hato impressing whenever he has made the first team.
Danish keeper Filip Jorgensen will likely step in as the last line of defence, and he can expect a bruising from McBurnie should Hull City get a corner.
History
The Tigers have failed to beat the Blues in 13 attempts; the last time they met was in the FA Cup in 2020, when Chelsea won 2-1 on Humberside. Two seasons earlier, they met in the same competition at Stamford Bridge, when the Premier League giants handed out a 4-0 thrashing.
Chelsea have been strong since the arrival of Rosenior with five wins and a loss (in the Carabao Cup to Arsenal) from their last six games while Hull have four wins, one draw, and one defeat from their last six.
Betting Tip
Rosenior’s return to Hull is a good FA Cup 2026 news story this week. But then, the business will start on the pitch, and the Tigers are at 9.00 to cause a cup upset and 5.00 to draw, with the Blues heavily odds on at a SBOTOP price of 1.33.
This is a fascinating clash, and I expect the hosts to give their young visitors a tough evening, but I think the Blues will edge this game by the odd goal in three.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR (⭐) BETS ARE WORTH:
⭐⭐⭐= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
⭐⭐= €10 (CONFIDENT)
⭐= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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