Hull City and Peterborough United both in need of a win as they face-off in early season six-pointer

Following Saturday’s defeat at Huddersfield Town, Hull City’s stuttering start to the season continues as they aim to pick up a crucial win against fellow strugglers Peterborough United on Wednesday evening.

Grant McCann abandoned the winning 3-5-2 formation that saw them defeat Middlesbrough and pick up a vital point against Blackpool before the international break, returning to his favoured 4-3-3 set-up that saw them get promoted last season. 

Despite last season’s top goalscorer Mallik Wilks returning to the starting lineup, a similar pattern unfolded as City again struggled to take their chances when they came along as they fell to a 2-0 defeat at The John Smith’s Stadium.

Once they conceded an early goal following Matt Ingram’s mistake in goal, it was the inevitable mountain to climb for the Tigers, already struggling for goals, against an improved Huddersfield side this campaign.

Hull City manager Grant McCann eluded that his side got into some good areas but didn’t do enough to take anything from the game against the Terriers.

“I thought we got into some really good areas, some really good balls delivered into the box and the analyst has just told me there’s over 30 crosses into the box today and we haven’t got on the end of any of them, that’s really disappointing for us.

“So, you know, between both boxes today, I’ve said it a couple times before the season, play was good. We have to be more ruthless at this at this level, you get big chances and you have to take them. And we didn’t, we got punished.”

Supporters were inevitably frustrated that following a morale-boosting win before the international break, their team retreated into themselves with a lack of penetration up front that has already mirrored several performances this season which has seen City defeated seven times in 12 league games.

Peterborough United are equally struggling in the goals department as they slumped to their eighth defeat of the campaign and are now winless in four.

Despite having 60% possession in Saturday’s 2-0 defeat to Middlesbrough, the Posh only registered six shots all game, with none of them hitting the target.

Accused in the local press of being ‘terrified to make a mistake’ and ‘playing scared football’, Posh are equally struggling for goals as they go into Wednesday’s potential early six-pointer at Hull.

Despite their latest defeat, Peterborough can consider themselves incredibly unlucky not to have been awarded an opportunity to break the deadlock and change the complexion of Saturday’s game.

Siriki Dembele got in behind the Boro defence and was subsequently hauled down by goalkeeper Joe Lumley, it was astonishing that referee John Busby awarded a corner kick.

Boss Darren Ferguson, who was quick to put a refereeing howler to one side, rued his side’s quality in front of goal and knows that relegation is looming if they cannot take chances when presented.

“It’s just decision-making on the day of the match. We do all the work on the training ground, but it’s another game we were well in and we’ve lost. We can’t keep sitting here saying it, well we can, but if we do, we will be relegated.

“The quality there is just not good enough and then you open yourself up to the decision the referee made. Up to the final third we were good but that’s not where you win the game.”

In the matchup between the two sides, Posh have registered four more goals than City but have conceded eight more goals than Hull who currently sit two places above them in the Championship.

With that statistic in mind, Grant McCann may well revert to the 3-5-2 formation that has served them well at the MKM Stadium in recent games but Darren Ferguson will know all too well that this may be an opportunity to throw caution to the wind in trying to find a much-needed victory to kickstart their season.

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