Premier League 26/27 · Round 7 ·
Fulham FC vs Hull City preview: Fulham host Hull with the visitors holding the form edge
Fulham welcome Hull to Craven Cottage with the two sides separated by 12 places and 7 points after six matches. The clearest signal in the data is defensive: Hull concede 1.3 goals per away match while Fulham concede 2.3 per home match, a gap that shapes the entire preview.
By 10xSharp · Published
This preview was published before kickoff. The match has finished: see the result and full stats. Read the match report.
Who is missing for each side
Fulham are without midfielder Tom Cairney and defender Antonee Robinson, both listed with injuries. Neither is among their leading scorers or assisters this season, so the absence removes no direct goal contribution. Hull have four players unavailable: goalkeeper Jack Butland, midfielders Eliot Matazo and Darko Gyabi, and forward Ilyas Ansah, all with injuries. None of those four appears in Hull's top scorers or top assisters list. The unavailable lists therefore carry no direct scoring or creating loss for either side.
Who carries each attack
Hull's Mohamed Belloumi is the standout attacking figure, with 3 goals and 2 assists in 6 matches, a share of 38% of Hull's goals in this competition. He ranks sixth in the scoring chart, level with 9 players on goals. Fulham's leading scorer is Joshua King with 2 goals in 6 matches, a 33% share, and he sits 15th in the scoring chart. Fulham's next scorers, Ryan Sessegnon and Cesar Palacios, have one goal each. Hull's supporting scorers are Joe Gelhardt and Mohamed-Ali Cho, each with one goal.
Who arrives in better shape
Hull arrive in clearly better form, with 9 points from their last six league matches compared with 2 for Fulham. Hull's record over that window is 2 wins, 3 draws and 1 loss, while Fulham have 0 wins, 2 draws and 4 losses. Fulham's latest result was a defeat, while Hull drew their most recent match. Fulham have gone six league matches without a win, and Hull have gone four without one. Fulham have had 7 days since their last match and Hull 6.
Where the table stands
Hull sit 8th with 9 points from 6 matches, while Fulham are 20th with 2 points. At home, Fulham have 0 wins, 1 draw and 2 losses, with a goal difference of -2. Away from home, Hull have 1 win, 1 draw and 1 loss, with a goal difference of 0. Fulham's home record is winless across 3 matches, while Hull's away record is balanced. The gap in points is large, and the venue records do not narrow it.
What history says
Across 10 meetings from 2015 to 2023, Fulham have won 6, Hull have won 3, and there has been 1 draw. The most recent meeting, in January 2023, was won by Fulham 2-0. In the 5 meetings at this ground, Fulham have won 3 and Hull have won 2, with no draws. The goals in those home meetings were 8 for Fulham and 6 for Hull. The most recent meeting was not in this competition.
How dangerous each attack is
Fulham score 1.7 goals per home match across 3 home matches, while Hull score 1.3 goals per away match across 3 away matches. Both figures are level with their respective league baselines, so neither attack holds a clear edge. The attack edge is level, with both sides standing the same distance from their own league baseline. Across the whole season, Fulham average 1.0 goals per match and Hull 1.3, both worse than the league average per team.
Who is more solid at the back
Hull concede 1.3 goals per away match across 3 away matches, which is better than the league average for an away side on the road, though the margin is marginal. Fulham concede 2.3 goals per home match across 3 home matches, worse than the league average for a home side at home by a large margin. The defence edge favours Hull, and it is large. Across the whole season, Hull concede 1.0 goals per match, better than the league average per team by a clear margin, while Fulham concede 1.7, worse than that average by a marginal amount.
Who works the keeper harder
Fulham average 4.33 shots on goal per match, while Hull average 3.83. Fulham also see more of their shots blocked, at 3.83 per match compared with 2.17 for Hull. Fulham hold 54% possession and Hull 32%. Fulham take more corners, 5.5 per match against 4.0 for Hull. The shot-on-target gap is narrow, but the blocked-shot gap is wider.
When each team is most dangerous
Fulham's peak scoring window is minutes 46-60, with 33% of their goals, and it is their unique peak. Hull's most dangerous spell is shared across minutes 16-30, 31-45 and 61-75, each with 25% of their goals. Fulham are most vulnerable in minutes 76-90, conceding 40% of their goals there, while scoring 0% in that window. Hull are most vulnerable in minutes 0-15, conceding 50% of their goals there, while scoring 0% in that window.
What kind of goal environment to expect
Across all venues, 50% of Fulham's matches have gone over 2.5 goals, and 50% of Hull's have too. Fulham's home matches are the higher-scoring ones: 67% of their home matches have gone over 2.5 goals, against 33% of their away matches. Hull's away matches are the higher-scoring ones: 33% of their home matches have gone over 2.5 goals, against 67% of their away matches. Fulham's matches are back-loaded, with 33% producing 2+ goals before half time versus 67% after it. Hull's matches are front-loaded, with 50% producing 2+ goals before half time versus 17% after it.
How this match is likely to be shaped
Hull bring the stronger defensive record and the better form, while Fulham's home attack is level with the league but their home defence is a large outlier on the wrong side. Fulham's matches at home have trended toward goals, and their second-half vulnerability is pronounced. Hull's away matches have also trended toward goals, but their defence has been more reliable. The market prices Fulham as the match-winner favourite, with the total goals line at 2.75. The most likely shape is a match in which Hull's tighter defence meets a Fulham side that concedes heavily at home.