A top ten finish would be the minimum target for Stoke City as Mark Hughes’ men have a genuine chance to move up the table. The Potters will host a resurgent Hull City who are currently flying high under their manager Marco Silva and would give them a tough fight.
Stoke mathematically have a chance to finish in the top half of the table but given their recent form, it won’t be a walk in the park for them. The Potters have lost their previous four games and Mark Hughes has to do something special in order to turn the form around.
Hughes is under huge pressure and he will have to come with a unique game plan to put Stoke City in the driving seat.
Predicted 4-4-2 Stoke City Lineup Against Hull City
Defence
Lee Grant has been the preferred choice for Mark Hughes and the 34-year-old will keep his position between the sticks.
Bruno Martins Indi and Ryan Shawcross need to tighten up the defence as Hull have the ammunition in their ranks to exploit their backline.
Erik Pieters is likely to retain his place and will start on the left side.
Glen Johnson might have lost his pace but can create a lot of chances if he is in form.
Midfield
Joe Allen won’t make it to the match as he suffered a hamstring injury last time against his former club Liverpool. Glen Whelan will take his place and will try to overpower the Hull midfield.
Geoff Cameron has been playing in midfield and has put in decent performances so far. He will be alongside Whelan and will want to dominate the proceedings in the midfield.
Stoke play with sheer physicality in the midfield and have the tenacity to drive forward.
Attack
Xherdan Shaqiri hasn’t shown the kind of ingenuity he possesses but the 25-year-old has the hunger and determination to ease past an opponent like Hull.
Marko Arnautovic has been pretty inconsistent for the Potters but his tricky movement and pace could give the Tigers some trouble.
After much speculation, Saido Berahino moved to the Bet365 Stadium in the winter transfer window but is yet to open his account for his new club. He will get another chance to prove his worth against the Tigers.
Jonathan Walters has been a utility player for Stoke and has contributed with goals when needed. He needs to fire to end Stoke City’s four-match losing streak.
