Hull City will host Millwall at the MKM Stadium in the first leg of their Championship playoff semi-final. The match is scheduled to kick off at 22:00 local time. Hull City, who finished the regular season in sixth place, will look to capitalize on their home advantage to move one step closer to realizing their Premier League dream.
The probable starting lineups have been announced. For Hull City, the expected eleven includes Ivor Pandur in goal, with Lewie Coyle, McNair, Hughes, and Giles in defense. The midfield is set to feature Slater, Crooks, Belloumi, and Millar, with Gelhardt and Oli McBurnie leading the attack. Millwall are expected to field Patterson in goal, a backline of Leonard, Crama, Cooper, and Sturge, a midfield of Bannan, Casper De Norre, Azeez, and Ballo, with Neghli and Ivanovic upfront.
Several key statistics highlight the potential for an exciting encounter. Hull City's last five matches have all seen a goal scored in the first half. In the two meetings between these teams this season, both sides found the net each time. Furthermore, Millwall have struggled in this fixture recently, winning only two of their last ten matches against Hull City.
According to data from Misli, 9% of their members who have placed a bet on the match believe the total goals will exceed 2.5. Misli columnist Mert Artun offers his analysis, noting that Hull City secured their playoff spot on the final day of the season, while Millwall narrowly missed automatic promotion, finishing one point behind Ipswich Town. He points out that Millwall were the best away team in the regular season, collecting more points on the road than even champions Coventry City. They also won the previous away match against Hull City 3-1 on March 7th.
However, Artun emphasizes that the playoff atmosphere and motivation are different. He expects Hull City's experienced defender John Egan to be fit for the match and identifies Ollie McBurnie as the home side's key player, anticipating the Scottish striker will contribute to the scoreline. He also notes that Millwall have scored in ten of their last twelve away games, with the other two ending 0-0. Artun's prediction for the match is that both teams will score, with a 1-1 draw being a possible outcome.
The betting odds for the match reflect a tight contest. A Hull City victory is priced at 2.62, a draw is at 2.86, and a Millwall win stands at 2.10. These odds are subject to change.
Both teams will be dealing with significant absences due to injury. Hull City will be without Amir Hadžiahmetović, Cody Drameh, David Akintola, Eliot Matazo, and Toby Collyer. Millwall's injury list includes Caleb Taylor, Daniel Kelly, Joe Bryan, Josh Coburn, Lukas Jensen, and Massimo Luongo.
Based on reporting from Hürriyet.