Hull City v West Ham United: Team news & predictions

The game kicks off at 1500 GMT at the KCOM Stadium.  

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Hull City v West Ham United: Team news 

Hull skipper Michael Dawson could return to the squad for the home game against West Ham following a calf injury.

Centre-half Dawson, sidelined since early February, returned to full training on Wednesday and could be included in head coach Marco Silva's plans, but midfielder Tom Huddlestone starts a three-game ban.

Silva will make a late decision on whether to include striker Abel Hernandez, who only returned from international duty with Uruguay on Friday, while midfielder Evandro is still out due to a calf injury.

West Ham are without Michail Antonio, Winston Reid and Pedro Obiang for the trip to Hull.

Winger Antonio is close to recovering from a hamstring problem but will not be ready, defender Reid is out a month with a thigh injury and midfielder Obiang will miss the rest of the season after undergoing ankle surgery during the international break.

But skipper Mark Noble is poised to return to the squad after missing the defeat by Leicester a fortnight ago with a dead leg.

Hull (from): Jakupovic, Marshall, Robertson, Maguire, Davies, Dawson, Ranocchia, Elabdellaoui, Elmohamady, Meyler, Henriksen, Grosicki , Hernandez, Diomande, N'Diaye, Clucas, Markovic, Maloney, Niasse.

West Ham (from): Adrian, Randolph, Byram, Fonte, Collins, Cresswell, Masuaku, Arbeloa, Kouyate, Noble, Fernandes, Nordtveit, Snodgrass, Feghouli, Lanzini, Carroll, Fletcher, Calleri.

Hull City v West Ham United: Manager quotes   

Marco Silva (Hull City)

When asked what kind of reception he thinks Robert Snodgrass will get from Tigers supporters, he said: "I don't know. He did good work here and now he is our opponent. We'll pay respect, we like him of course, but now he is our opponent and my focus is on my players and my team only.

"All of us at the club were disappointed he left, but he has. We don't want to put all the focus on him. Our opponents have a lot of players with good quality.

"When the game starts he is one player in the other team and what is important is our players. If I have one plan only for Snodgrass, maybe I'll forget the others and I don't want to do that. We've prepared to face one team, not one player. West Ham, in their attack line, have very good players and we've prepared for the game by focusing on our squad. That's most important." 

Slaven Bilic (West Ham United)

On West Ham chairmen David Gold and David Sullivan: "I have a good relationship with both of them.

"I talk to the chairmen, not on a daily basis, but after every game. Then I talk about some issues during the week.

"But I don't talk to the chairmen through the papers. You know what I mean? We have a direct line and we talk.

"They are locals, they are West Ham, they talk to the papers, Twitter, Instagram, this one, that one.

"I am okay with that. I am a really strong person and I have no problem with that.

"Don't get me wrong, it would be ideal - I wouldn't love that to be in the papers. But there is something in between not liking it and being worried about it, and I am not worried.

"I am 48, I've been in football a long time and the position was always very demanding, and that makes you strong." 

On his future: "Nothing has changed in the last few days.

"What do you want me to say? There is nothing new I can say about it.

"I just concentrate on my job. I am totally focused on the next game. That (speculation) does not worry me. I am not reading it or making phone calls or whatever.

"We are in a position where we can have a good finish to the season. We have a lot of games to play and there is a lot to play for.

"I was saying the same when, for example, earlier in the season when we were talking about a new contract. I was not bothered then, when it was positive.

"Now after three defeats there is speculation. I have a game on Saturday." 

On other manager being linked with his job: "That does not annoy me. There is something between being worried and annoyed.

"But my head is clear and I am totally motivated and focused."I've been here long enough to know what to do - over a year and a half - with an objective here and there is still a job to do and I have my contract.

"At the end of the day my contract is not running out. I have another year here." 

Hull City v West Ham United: Our prediction 

Our David John writes... An interesting season for the Hammers continues apace with some agitated executives far from happy with recent performances and manager Slaven Bilic’s future seemingly in doubt despite a current position of relative safety.

Three of the next four fixtures for West Ham are against teams in the bottom four and a notable upturn in their fortunes is both expected and demanded by the boardroom.

It is additional and unnecessary pressure for the Croat who will be forced into a number of changes as well with Michail Antonio, Winston Reid and Pedro Obiang all ruled out as he attempts to turn around a run which has seen them lose three straight and unable to keep a clean sheet for eight games.  

On a brighter note, they have produced some very good performances on the road since Christmas when required while Manuel Lanzini has really stepped up to the plate as the senior playmaker since Dimitri Payet decided he was better off back in Marseille. 

It is not panic stations for the Hammers just yet but Hull are on the brink and face a vital few days with another home fixture against fellow strugglers Middlesbrough coming up on Wednesday. 

They have been dreadful away from home and capitulated last time at Everton following the red card shown to Tom Huddlestone but manager Marco Silva can draw on a stout, undefeated home record in 2017. 

Huddlestone’s subsequent three-game suspension is a problem that has to be solved considering the midfielder has started every Premier League fixture of the season and it is exactly the area I would have expected Bilic to exploit successfully if his side had been a bit closer to full strength.

Silva will focus on plugging that gap first and foremost so it is unlikely we will see strikers Abel Hernandez and Oumar Niasse on from the start but that lively combination should fashion a chance or two somewhere along the line and leads me to believe this could well end up all square.

Prediction: Hull 1-1 West Ham 

Hull City v West Ham United: Opta facts 

Hull City have never lost a home Premier League match against the Hammers (W2 D2). 

However, West Ham are unbeaten in their last four Premier League clashes with the Tigers (W3 D1), keeping a clean sheet in the last two. 

West Ham’s last seven Premier League goals against Hull have all come in the second half of games. 

Robert Snodgrass - who joined West Ham from Hull in January - is still the Tigers’ top scoring player this season in the Premier League (7). 

Marco Silva hasn’t lost a home league match as a manager in over three years. His last home defeat in league competition was for Estoril against Rio Ave on 30th March 2014 – since then he’s gone 38 league games on home turf without a loss (W31 D7 L0) with four clubs (Estoril, Sporting, Olympiakos and Hull). 

West Ham players have cumulatively made 10 errors leading to opposition goals in the Premier League this season; more than any other side.  

Andy Carroll has played the full 90 minutes in each of West Ham United’s last three Premier League games – he hasn’t done this in four successive games in the competition since April 2014. 

The Hammers have conceded more goals in the opening 15 minutes of matches this season than any other team in the Premier League (8). 

Hull City have conceded the most goals in the final 15 minutes of Premier League matches this season in the Premier League (20). 

Andre Ayew has had a hand in a goal in each of his last four Premier League appearances (three goals, one assist), despite playing just 173 of a possible 360 minutes in these games. 

These two clubs have given away the most penalties in the Premier League this season – Hull City (11) and West Ham (8).   

Hull City v West Ham United: Sky Bet odds

An important game for both teams with third-bottom Hull City 7/5 chances at Sky Bet to pick up a vital three points as they look to boost their survival hopes in the Premier League. Marco Alonso’s side have lost three out of their last five but are seven games unbeaten in all competitions at the KCOM Stadium. The Hammers have dipped in form recently and lost three on the trot but are 19/10 to get back on track with a win while the draw can be backed at 12/5.

Click for Sky Bet's Hull City v West Ham United odds!