Hull City vs Everton: The Tigers Host the Toffees in a Tight Premier League Affair

Right, so we've got Hull City hosting Everton on 11 October, and I'm telling you, this one's got me reaching for the braai before the beer's even cold. Everton come in with the momentum, and that's the first thing that jumps out at you. They've won their last two — 1–0 against Ipswich and 1–0 against Wolves — and across their last five matches they've gone 2 wins, 3 draws, 0 losses. That's a team that's not losing, and in the Premier League that's worth its weight in boerewors. Their last 10 tells the same story: 5 wins, 4 draws, 1 loss, scoring 1.6 per game and conceding just 0.8. That's a side that's scoring and keeping it tight, and their away record over 20 games backs it up — 8 wins, 7 draws, 5 losses, 1.45 goals per game on the road. Now Hull City, and I love the lads, but this form is not what I want to see. They lost 1–2 at Newcastle three weeks ago, and before that they drew 2–2 at Chelsea and lost 0–1 to Sunderland in the League Cup. In their last five they've managed 1 win, 2 draws, 2 losses, and in the last 10 they've only won 2 of 10. They're scoring 0.8 per game and failing to score in 4 of those 10. That's a team that's struggling to find the end of the pitch, and when you're at home against a side that's kept 5 clean sheets in 10, it's not a comfortable position to be in. But here's where it gets interesting, and where I can't just hand this to Everton without a second thought. Hull City's home record over 20 games is 8 wins, 7 draws, 5 losses — 1.55 points per game — and they've kept 10 clean sheets in those 20. That's a lot of shutouts. They've also failed to score in 8 of those 20, which means the home form is a mixed bag: when they do score, they tend to win, but they're not always the team to put a ball in the net. Everton's away record is actually identical on the results — 8W 7D 5L, 1.55 ppg — so these two sides are mirror images in terms of record. The head-to-head is 4 years old, no meetings within the last 12 months, so I'm not going to lean on that. It's historical, and it tells me Hull City have a 1 win, 2 draws, 0 losses record at their ground against Everton, but that's from 2015 to 2022. Not current form, just a footnote. The counter-argument for Hull is real: 10 clean sheets in 20 home games is a number that says this team can park the bus at home, and Everton's away form includes a 0–0 at Tottenham and a 1–1 at Bournemouth, so they're not always the team to break a low-block. Everton's last five also includes three draws, so they're not dominant, just consistent. And Hull's home attack, at 1.1 goals per game, is not nothing. But Everton's defence in the last 10 is the standout — 0.8 conceded per game, 5 clean sheets in 10 — and that's the edge I see. Key Points: - Everton are unbeaten in 5 (2W 3D) and won their last two 1–0, with 5W 4D 1L in the last 10. - Hull City lost their last game (1–2 at Newcastle) and have won only 1 of their last 5. - Hull City's home record: 8W 7D 5L in 20 games, 10 clean sheets, 1.1 goals per game. - Everton's away record: 8W 7D 5L in 20 games, 1.45 goals per game, 7 clean sheets. - Head-to-head is 4 years old; no meetings within the last 12 months. Verdict: No Bet — the available prices could not be used for a recommendation on this fixture.