Hull Cityvs.Millwall

The hosts have drawn both of their first two outings of the new campaign while their visitors are yet to put a point on the board following two narrow defeats.

Match preview

Hull City will fight for a first victory of the season and a first under the new management of Tim Walter on Saturday, with the German boss having taken over from Liam Rosenior over the summer.

Rosenior led the Tigers to a seventh-placed Championship finish last time around, trailing the final playoff spot by just three points, and after a busy pre-season run, they began life under Walter, aiming to build on last season's record, at home to Bristol City on the opening day.

The Yorkshire outfit looked set to leave that game empty-handed after Fally Mayulu opened the scoring for the visitors in the 84th minute, but they were able to salvage a point in injury time as Oscar Estupinan converted a penalty.

Then following an EFL Cup first-round defeat to Sheffield Wednesday, the Tigers visited Plymouth Argyle in their first away outing last weekend and again came from behind to take a share of the spoils, as Ibrahim Cissoko put the hosts ahead early in the second half and Lewie Coyle tied the scores level at a goal apiece around the hour mark.

With positives to take from their opening draws, having seen plenty of squad changes from last term, Hull City will now bid to put a first notch in their wins column on their return to the MKM Stadium at the weekend to move onto five points from their first three league outings.

Their visitors, meanwhile, will also go in search of a first victory of the Championship campaign having not yet managed a point in their first two attempts.

Neil Harris returned to the Millwall dugout in February with the London outfit sat in a concerning position in the fight for survival in England's second tier, and he oversaw a drastic improvement as they climbed well clear of the drop and up to 13th spot having earned 26 points from his 15 games at the helm.

He then guided them into the new term with the aim of another safe Championship finish, but after finishing last term with five consecutive victories, the Lions were unable to pick up where they left off in their curtain-raiser, hosting Watford and succumbing to a 3-2 defeat in agonising fashion, having drawn level late on through a Duncan Watmore brace, only for Mileta Rajovic to restore the visitors' lead in the 90th minute.

Then following a 1-0 EFL Cup victory over Portsmouth, Harris's men set out to bounce back in a trip to Bristol City last Saturday, but they were again on the wrong end of a tight high-scoring contest, having trailed 2-0 at the interval and gone 3-2 up through Romain Esse, Tom Bradshaw and Watmore, before Fally Mayulu tied the hosts back level in the 78th minute and Scott Twine snatched all three points two minutes from time.

Having now come away empty-handed following late goals in both of their first two Championship outings, Millwall will be desperate to bounce back on Saturday and get up and running with a three-point haul in Yorkshire.

Hull City Championship form:

D

D

Hull City form (all competitions):

D

L

D

Millwall Championship form:

L

L

Millwall form (all competitions):

L

W

L

Team News

Hull City will remain without wingers Ryan Longman and Dogukan Sinik on Saturday, as they are confined to the treatment room alongside goalkeeper Harvey Cartwright.

Ivor Pandur should again get the nod over summer arrival Anthony Racioppi to start between the sticks, while Charlie Hughes will likely earn a debut alongside Alfie Jones at the heart of a back four following his switch from Wigan Athletic.

That will leave Manchester City loanee Finley Burns to compete for a midfield spot, while Oscar Estupinan should lead the attack with support from wingers Abdulkadir Omur and Liam Millar.

Millwall will travel to the MKM Stadium without Murray Wallace, Zian Flemming and Billy Mitchell due to injuries, although Neil Harris is able to call on key defender Japhet Tanganga, who served the final game of a suspension in last week's defeat to Bristol City.

He should come straight back into the middle of the back four alongside Jake Cooper, while George Saville and Casper De Norre should continue to partner up in the engine room.

Ahead of them, George Honeyman could again join Romain Esse and Duncan Watmore, who has netted three Championship goals in their first two games, in support of a lone striker with Tom Bradshaw likely to be preferred over summer signing Macaulay Langstaff.

Hull City possible starting lineup:

Pandur; Coyle, Jones, Hughes, Giles; Simons, Burns, Slater; Omur, Estupinan, Millar

Millwall possible starting lineup:

Jensen; Leonard, Tanganga, Cooper, Bryan; Saville, De Norre; Esse, Honeyman, Watmore; Bradshaw

We say: Hull City 1-1 Millwall

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