Sunderland vs Hull City Betting Tip Sunderland – 5 September 2020

Sunderland vs Hull City
5 September 1500hrs
Football – England – EFL Cup
Pick Sunderland 
Bookmaker Betvictor
Odds: 21/20 odds taken 2000 GMT, Friday 4 September

It’s arguably the tie of the round as Sunderland take on a Hull team in what is now an all League-One showdown following the visitors’ relegation last season.

Bet at Betvictor

 

 

Sunderland Preview – Can the sleeping giant of League One start their season on a positive note?

Expectation at Sunderland is huge at the best of times but this season it’s particularly so due to the failings of recent campaigns. This will be the third straight season they are competing in the third tier of English football and for a club their size (and with the investment they’ve had) it’s not good enough. Some will point to the fact they were just a point outside the playoffs when the season was called but they should have left nothing to chance with resources at their disposal.

Phil Parkinson will celebrate his first year in charge next month and will be under no illusions as to what is required.

 

When you look through the squad then it’s easy to see why Sunderland supporters feel their team are underachieving. They had the second best defensive record in League One last season but they have to do more in an attacking sense in order to turn some of their draws into victories. Which was also their main issue the previous campaign.

Sunderland did reach the the last 16 of the EFL Cup last season, losing out to Oxford. That’s their best showing since making the final back in 2013/14.

Hull City Preview – Will Hull respond at the first time of asking following last year’s relegation?

It was a disastrous season for Hull and their manager Grant McCann. In a campaign where they were looking at an outside chance of the playoffs in January, they ended up being relegated and returning to League One for the first time in 15 years. Hull ended the season with six straight defeats including that infamous 8-0 loss at Wigan. To emphasise just how bad they were in the latter part of the campaign, Hull were propping up the table despite the Lactics getting a 12 point deduction.

McCann remains in charge however and can point to the loss of key players in January as the main reason for such a dip in form.

Don’t miss out on other Betting Tips & Predictions

Click here for more Betting Tips

 

Hull need only look at Sunderland to see how difficult to get out of League One following relegation to know how much of a challenge they have on their hands this season.

Before they  look to league matters, though, attention is on the EFL Cup. Hull reached the semi-finals back in 2016/17 and also the quarter-finals the season before that. So they have some recent success in the competition. The last time they failed to win their first tie was back in 2014,

 

Following such an abysmal second half to last season it’s almost impossible to have any faith in Hull heading into this season. Sunderland are not without their faults either, of course, but they are unbeaten at the Stadium of Light in their last 10 games and it also might not be a bad thing they start the season behind closed doors. I’m siding with the home team to progress to the next round.