EPL Result: Hull City 0 - 1 Swansea City

Ki Sung-yueng's flukey goal in the first half has handed Swansea City a 1-0 win away at Hull City this afternoon, which stretches the home side's winless league run to 10 games.

Hull began strongly though and Ashley Williams was relieved to see Nikica Jelavic shoot wide of the upright from 18 yards after the Swansea skipper gifted the ball to his opponent.

Gaston Ramirez then flashed an effort narrowly wide as the visitors lived dangerously in the opening few minutes.

However, they took the lead in fortuitous circumstances when Jonjo Shelvey's low drive took a wicked deflection off Ki and rolled into the empty net with Alan McGregor wrong-footed.

Andrew Robertson then rattled the crossbar before Abel Hernandez tested Lukasz Fabianski as Hull looked threatening in attack.

Nonetheless, they were mightily relieved to see Shelvey's powerful shot flick off the outside off the post before rolling away to safety.

Hull's positive first-half performance continued into the second period and Ramirez's free kick gave Fabianski cause for concern before the Polish stopper had to parry Jelavic's goalbound header to safety.

McGregor was then called into action to deny Shelvey from point-blank range before Bafetimbi Gomis skewed a volley wide.

Shelvey's impressive afternoon continued as he laid on a perfect free kick for Federico Fernandez to attack, but the centre-back's header flew over the bar.

Gomis was handed another chance to put the game beyond any doubt, but the forward side-footed his volley against the post after good play from Marvin Emnes.

Substitue Wilfried Bony passed up the opportunity to settle the game late on but Swansea held on to ensure that Hull's miserable run continues.

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EPL Preview: Hull City vs. Swansea City

Hull City manager Steve Bruce has revealed that defender Michael Dawson will be absent from the club's upcoming fixtures with a torn hamstring.

The former Tottenham Hotspur centre-back suffered the problem during the club's 2-0 defeat at Chelsea in a match that also saw midfielder Tom Huddlestone handed a red card.

That dismissal rules Huddlestone out of this fixture at the KC Stadium, with Alex Bruce and Gaston Ramirez in contention to be drafted into the side.

Despite a positive start to the season, Hull have fallen to 19th place in the table after failing to win since the start of October.

Swansea make the long trip East having fallen to defeats to West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur in their previous two matches.

Those setbacks have resulted in Garry Monk's team slipping to ninth place in the division, but the Swansea boss will be encouraged by the form of striker Wilfried Bony.

The Ivorian has scored four times in his last five games as he continues to spearhead an attack that has scored in seven of their last eight fixtures.

Monk could hand recalls to Jonjo Shelvey and Nathan Dyer, while goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski will return after serving a one-match suspension.

Hull City:
Recent form: LLLDDL

Possible starting lineup: McGregor; Robertson, Davies, Bruce, Chester, Elmohamady; Ramirez, Livermore, Meyler, Aluko; Jelavic

Swansea City:

Recent form: WLDWLL

Possible starting lineup: Fabianski; Rangel, Bartley, Williams, Taylor; Britton, Ki, Routledge, Sigurdsson, Montero; Bony

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EPL Result: QPR 0 - 1 Hull City

A second-half goal from James Chester has given Hull City a 1-0 win over Queens Park Rangers in their opening fixture of the new Premier League season.

Nikica Jelavic had the first chance of the match for the home side when a high ball into the box fell for him just a couple of yards out, but his header was too high.

As QPR started to see more of the ball, Jordan Mutch tried to set up a chance for Loic Remy, while Charlie Austin had an effort from the edge of the box blocked.

Mutch had another chance to open the scoring when Austin took the ball from Allan McGregor, but the summer signing could not find the target.

Austin was involved again just before the break as he won a corner, but Steven Caulker saw his header cleared off the line.

The stalemate was broken shortly after the restart as Hull won a corner, resulting in Chester losing Rio Ferdinard in the box to head the visitors into the lead.

Rob Green had to make a save to stop Hull doubling their lead later in the second half as Thomas Ince tried to fire the ball in from a free kick.

The resulting corner presented Jelavic with another chance, but the Croatian's strike was blocked on the line by Richard Dunne.

The hosts were handed a lifeline late on when Austin won a penalty, but the striker's spot kick was saved by McGregor, while a late effort from Bobby Zamora also missed, condemning Harry Redknapp's side to defeat.

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RESULT: George Boyd Header Secures Victory For Hull City

George Boyd scored the only goal of the game to give Hull City a 1-0 win over Swansea City on Saturday afternoon.

Hull created a great opportunity early on when Maynor Figueroa's delivered in a perfect cross for Shane Long, whose volley from just a few yards out was pushed to safety by Michel Vorm.

The hosts continued to threaten, with Boyd testing Vorm once again with a low effort from the edge of the box following clever link-up play with Long.

Swansea's best chance of the first half fell to Wayne Routledge, but the winger was unable to lob Steve Harper after seeing the goalkeeper come off his line.

Hull broke the deadlock in the 39th minute when Boyd pulled away from his marker in the box to head Ahmed Elmohamady's cross past a helpless Vorm.

The home side seemed reluctant to push too many players forward in the second half, which invited pressure from Swansea, who were still struggling to produce their best football.

Nathan Dyer linked well with Angel Rangel to set up a good opportunity for himself, but he struck a poor effort wide of the post when in plenty of space on the edge of the box.

Swansea missed another chance to level the scores late on when Jonjo Shelvey played the perfect pass for Wilfried Bony, who was unable to avoid slicing his shot over the crossbar from 10 yards out.

Hull's dominance in the first half proved to be enough as they held off the Swansea challenge to collect all three points.


Source: www.sportsmole.co.uk
 

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EPL PREVIEW: Hull City vs. Swansea City

Hull City may be forgiven for having one eye on their upcoming FA Cup semi-final when they host Swansea City at the KC Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Tigers have reached the last four of the competition for the first time since 1930 and only League One Sheffield United stand in their way of further progress.

Steve Bruce would be delighted if his side can focus on their trip to Wembley next weekend having extinguished the minor doubts still surrounding their Premier League safety.

Hull are seven points clear of the relegation zone having avoided the bottom end of the table for much of their first season back in the top flight, but probably need one more win to guarantee survival.

Swansea are in a similar position after moving level on points with the Lancashire outfit courtesy of their 3-0 victory over Norwich City last weekend, in which Jonathan de Guzman scored twice.

Interim Swans boss Garry Monk has admitted this week that the club will look to bring the Dutchman to Wales on a permanent deal in the summer following the conclusion of his second season-long loan spell.

Whether Monk will be in charge next season, though, is still up in the air and so the 34-year-old will be determined to finish the season strongly to stake his claim to be given the manager's role full time.

He has only one senior injury worry to contend with, as Kyle Bartley remains on the sidelines with a hamstring strain, and so could name the same side that were convincing victors over the Canaries.

Michu, their 19-goal top scorer from last season, is working his way back to full fitness after ankle surgery forced him to miss three months of action and should slot in behind striker Wifried Bony.

The Ivorian has already netted 20 times in his debut campaign at the Liberty Stadium and is thought to be garnering interest from other clubs in the division, including Champions League-chasing Everton.

Hull will continue to be without goalkeeper Allan McGregor, who has joined Paul McShane and Robbie Brady on the long-term injury list after suffering kidney damage in the 2-1 defeat to West Ham United.

George Boyd is available again for the Tigers after completing his three-match suspension for spitting at Manchester City's Joe Hart, and will probably be named on the bench as Bruce sticks with his settled side.

There could be a recall for Honduran defender Maynor Figueroa, who was not risked in the 1-0 loss to Stoke City last weekend, at the expense of Alex Bruce in the home side's back five.

Ahmed Elmohamady made a costly error at the Britannia Stadium, but is the only Hull player to have started every Premier League game this season and should be kept faith with again.

Recent form

Hull: LLWLWL

Swansea: WDLLDL

Possible starting lineups

Hull: Harper; Rosenior, Davies, Chester, Figueroa, Elmohamady; Huddlestone, Meyler, Livermore; Long, Jelavic

Swansea: Vorm; Rangel, Chico, Williams, Davies; Britton, Shelvey; De Guzman, Michu, Routledge; Bony

Source: www.sportsmole.co.uk

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