Preview: Hull City vs. Blackburn Rovers - prediction, team news, lineups

Blackburn Rovers square off against Hull City on Boxing Day knowing that they will move joint-top of the Championship standings with victory on Humberside.

Meanwhile, Hull, who have a number of coronavirus cases within their ranks, head into the fixture sitting four points above the relegation zone.

Match preview

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At one stage this season, the perception was that Blackburn were capable of scoring goals but unable to back it up in their defensive third of the pitch.

However, Tony Mowbray's side have now recorded five successive wins, all with clean sheets, and have netted 12 strikes in the process.

On the back of the 7-0 capitulation at home to Fulham on November 3, it has been a remarkable turnaround, one which has put Rovers on the brink of moving into second position in the table.

While their goal difference is far inferior to Fulham, another three points on Sunday would break up the status quo in the top two, confirming the feeling that it is now a four-horse race for the title.

Ben Brereton Diaz now has 19 goals for the season, the Chile international's latest double coming during the 4-0 triumph over Birmingham City last weekend.

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Opponents Hull saw their six-match undefeated streak come to an end on the same afternoon as they went down 2-1 at Nottingham Forest.

However, the Tigers were on the receiving end of a game-changing penalty decision, the referee seemingly making the wrong call when the visitors held a 1-0 lead at the City Ground.

Positives will be taken from the performance in the East Midlands, but the setback has the potential to halt Hull's momentum as they bid to move further away from the bottom three.

The home side have been dealt a blow ahead of this contest with manager Grant McCann one of several of the players and staff to test positive for coronavirus.

As it stands, however, the game at the MKM Stadium is still scheduled to go ahead with assistant boss Cliff Byrne taking the reins in McCann's place.

Team News

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Barring any unforeseen fitness issues, Mowbray has no reason to make any alterations to his Blackburn XI.

Goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski returned from injury against Blues and will retain his spot, while Reda Khadra should get the nod ahead of Sam Gallagher.

In ideal circumstances, McCann would have also selected the same Hull starting lineup, but the likelihood is that will not be the case.

At a pre-match press conference, stand-in boss Byrne did not reveal which players would miss the contest due to coronavirus.

Hull City possible starting lineup:
Baxter; Bernard, Greaves, McLoughlin; Longman, Docherty, Smallwood, Lewis-Potter; Honeyman; Wilks, Magennis

Blackburn Rovers possible starting lineup:
Kaminski; Lenihan, Van Hecke, Wharton; Nyambe, Travis, Rothwell, Pickering; Buckley; Brereton Diaz, Khadra

We say: Hull City 0-2 Blackburn Rovers

While Hull have been in good form of late, we cannot ignore the uncertainty surrounding coronavirus cases. With that in mind, Rovers are justifiably the clear favourites and should have enough to claim a relatively comfortable win.

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