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

There is a crunch meeting between two Yorkshire-based Championship strugglers on Saturday as Barnsley host Hull City.

The Tykes are currently managerless and sit 22nd in the table, a point from safety, while the Tigers are two points behind them in 23rd.

Match preview

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Barnsley's decision to sack Markus Schopp was vindicated on Wednesday evening as they came from behind to beat Derby County 2-1 with goals from Victor Adeboyejo and Aaron Leya Iseka.

It was only their second win of the season, their first in 14 matches, and ended a seven-game losing streak that ultimately cost Schopp his job.

Interim boss Joseph Laumann praised the squad's "positivity and unity" after the game and they will be eager to make it back-to-back wins at Oakwell, where they have won eight of their 11 points this season.

Only Hull (nine) have scored fewer goals than Barnsley (12) this season in the Championship, while the Tykes have kept just two clean sheets so far.

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The Tigers have not won or even scored away from home since a 4-1 victory at Preston North End on the opening weekend of the campaign – a result which can be considered a false dawn upon their return to the Championship.

Grant McCann's side have already lost as many games this season as they did on their way to the League One title in 2020-21 (11) and have failed to score in 11 out of 16 matches.

A 1-0 loss to West Bromwich Albion on Wednesday was their fifth consecutive defeat, but McCann was keen to emphasise the positives and suggested "if we play like that for the rest of the season then we will climb the table".

Hull have not lost six matches in a row since the end of the 2019-20 season, a run that saw them relegated, but they have beaten Barnsley just once in their last six meetings.

Team News

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Claudio Gomes was forced off through injury late on in Barnsley's win over Derby, making him a doubt for the weekend's game.

Callum Brittain's yellow card against the Rams means that he is one booking away from incurring a one-match suspension.

After failing to score in his first eight appearances following a summer move from Toulouse, Aaron Leya Iseka has now netted in each of the last three games.

Hull centre-back Alfie Jones lasted just 17 minutes on his return from injury in midweek before succumbing to a hamstring issue, meaning he is unlikely to feature.

That could mean a first start of the campaign for Sean McLoughlin or Manchester United loanee Di'Shon Bernard may be recalled.

Last season's top scorer Mallik Wilks has underperformed in the last few games and is at risk of losing his place on the right wing.

Barnsley possible starting lineup:
Collins; Andersen, Helik, Moon; Brittain, Palmer, Benson, J. Williams; Woodrow; Adeboyejo, Leya Iseka

Hull City possible starting lineup:
Ingram; Coyle, McLoughlin, Greaves, Elder; Smallwood, Docherty; Wilks, Honeyman, Lewis-Potter; Magennis

We say: Barnsley 1-0 Hull City

Barnsley's midweek win will have given them a huge confidence boost and while McCann was right to say that Hull did show signs of promise against West Brom, the Tigers' attacking woes could cost them once again.

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