Stoke City vs Hull City Prediction: Hull are going into the game with newly found confidence

On Saturday afternoon, Stoke City welcomes Hull City with the understanding that they require victories to distance themselves from the risk of being relegated to the Championship. Currently sitting in 19th place, the Potters must strive for success, while Hull City has been showing improvement, sitting in 12th place and only four points away from potentially making it into the playoffs.

Despite recently advancing to the FA Cup fifth round, there is still a sense of disappointment at Stoke due to their poor performance in the Championship. Manager Alex Neil was brought in with the goal of securing a playoff spot, but the team is currently 11 points away from that goal. This can be attributed to their recent run of four losses in five games, including a 1-0 defeat to Luton Town. The upcoming fixtures with Huddersfield Town, Blackpool, and Hull are crucial for Stoke's future. Despite a 4-0 victory over Reading in their last home league game, they have only earned 15 points from 14 matches at the bet365 Stadium.

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Hull City will visit Staffordshire with a newfound sense of confidence, not worrying about the threat of relegation for the first time since the start of the season. The team has seen a resurgence under the guidance of Liam Rosenior, earning 13 points in their last six matches and placing themselves in mid-table. Impressive victories over Stoke City and Cardiff City, along with consecutive clean sheets, have put Hull 12 points above the relegation zone, a previously impossible feat. The team now has the potential to compete for promotion, buoyed by their away record which has only seen one loss in eight games, a 1-0 defeat against Sheffield United on January 20.

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Hull City is ready to take on the playoffs and will not be satisfied with just a draw in their away match against Stoke City. However, Stoke may face a tough challenge in securing a tie. The expected outcome of the game is a draw or Hull win between the two teams and a low-scoring match with less than 2.5 goals is anticipated.