Winless in the Premier League since August, Hull City welcome Ipswich Town to the MKM Stadium on Saturday, aiming to end their undesirable sequence in gameweek nine.

The hosts are the lowest scorers in the division's top half with nine goals, highlighting the Tigers' main issue ahead of 12th-placed Ipswich's visit for the clubs' first-ever top-flight meeting.

Match preview

When Hull followed their opening-day 2-0 win over Manchester United with a 1-0 success against Coventry City, Sergej Jakirovic could have been forgiven for not anticipating that his side would wait two months for another victory.

However, a drought has followed, with the promoted side failing to overcome any of their last six Premier League opponents, or seven across all competitions, to enter this weekend without a victory since August 29.

Although the Tigers' survival bid was always likely to be built on defensive foundations, their lack of consistent attacking bite means that last season's Championship playoff winners have not scored more than twice in any of their 10 matches across all competitions this term.

Hull now enter Saturday's match without an open-play goal in two consecutive games since drawing 2-2 with Everton immediately after the September-October international break, having lost 1-0 to Fulham in mid-October before requiring an Oli McBurnie penalty to take the lead against Brentford last time out.

That leaves Jakirovic's side as the joint-lowest scorers in the top half with nine goals, level with Leeds United and Aston Villa, but the Tigers hope to capitalise on their strong record at the MKM Stadium, where they remain unbeaten after four matches, to extend their stay in the top 10.

Those prospects may be played down given that the home side have not defeated Ipswich in any meeting since November 2020 in League One, marking an almost six-year wait for success in this fixture.

Gary O'Neil's men have also tasted victory more recently than their hosts, with the Tractor Boys collecting three points from this month's 2-1 triumph over Fulham for their third top-flight win.

Victories over Sunderland, Crystal Palace and Fulham have seen the Suffolk-based club collect maximum points once in each month of the season, but the Tractor Boys hope to break that pattern by winning again this weekend.

That outcome may depend on replicating their performance in a 3-2 victory over Palace at Selhurst Park, although that result was aided by Axel Disasi receiving his marching orders with the score tied at 1-1.

Success for O'Neil's men would lift them above Hull, with both teams currently level on 10 points, and potentially as high as sixth in the Premier League table; conversely, they are only four points clear of 18th-placed Nottingham Forest, and another away defeat would leave the promoted side looking over their shoulders in the embryonic standings.

Hull City Premier League form:

Hull City form (all competitions):

Ipswich Town Premier League form:

Ipswich Town form (all competitions):

Team News

Hull are dealing with a surfeit of injuries, with Eliot Matazo (knee), Matt Targett (ankle), Ilyas Ansah (back), Darko Gyabi (groin) and Charlie Hughes (groin) all absent; Lucas Gourna-Douath (calf), Nobel Mendy (groin) and Jack Butland (arm) are doubtful and will be assessed before kick-off.

While Mohamed Belloumi remains the home side's leading threat, as evidenced by his three goals and two assists, the Algerian has been unable to make the difference in the last two games against Fulham and Brentford.

McBurnie opened his account for the season from the spot last week, and the forward, who scored 17 Championship goals in 2025-26 and has previously recorded two six-goal Premier League campaigns, hopes to add to his top-flight tally.

Unlike the Tigers, Ipswich have three players who have scored more than once this term, with Zian Flemming, Emersonn and Leif Davis netting twice apiece heading into gameweek nine.

Flemming, in particular, has scored both goals away from home, continuing his remarkable travelling form in the top flight after netting eight of his 11 strikes for Burnley in 2025-26 on the road.

The away side have a relatively healthy squad, with only Jack Taylor definitely ruled out, while Sasa Lukic will be assessed due to a groin issue before Saturday's match.

Hull City possible starting lineup:

Tzolakis; Coyle, Ajayi, Egan, Herrington, Giles; Belloumi, Iroegbunam, Slater, Stroud; McBurnie

Ipswich Town possible starting lineup:

Walton; Ouattara, O'Shea, Diop, Davis; Palacios, Luis; Fatawu, Enciso, Philogene; Emersonn

We say: Hull City 2-1 Ipswich Town

The Tigers have struggled for attacking fluency, yet remaining unbeaten across four home matches suggests that Jakirovic's men are comfortable in familiar surroundings.

Despite their attacking variety and Flemming's capabilities away from home, Ipswich have been inconsistent on their travels, losing three of four, and Hull may finally end their winless run if Belloumi and McBurnie combine effectively.

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