Key players
Hull
When it comes to goals, Hull’s main threat is Uruguyan hit-man Abel Hernández with the 25-year-old South American having notched 18 goals so far this season. Equally adept at home and away, Hernández has scored nine times at the now-Kcom Stadium. Only two of his ‘home’ goals have come in the opening 30 minutes of a game, four coming the middle third of the game and three in the final third – with no goals in the final 15 minutes of a game. The Uruguyan’s strike rate is something that Leeds’ defence will have to be aware of, but he’s not the only threat to the Whites.
Attacking midfielder Sam Clucas, a summer 2015 signing from League One side Chesterfield, not only has a six-goal tally to his name but he has also laid on eught assists for the Tigers. One of these assists has come in the opening, five in the middle 30 minutes of a game and two in the final 30 minutes. Dual-threat Clucas is someone that Leeds United will have to keep an eye on in the centre of the park, the 25-year-old able to score and provide with equal aplomb.
Leeds
Leeds’ 11-goal leading scorer Chris Wood will be the Whites’ main goal threat over in Hull, the rangy forward also a handful for any centre-backs to contain. In Leeds’ last game against Wolves, Wood proved a thorn in the side of the Wolves central defensive pairing of Danny Baath and Kortney Hause all game long. The tall Kiwi has scored one of his goals in the opening 30 minutes of a game, three in the middle third of a game and is most productive in the final 30 minutes of games with seven goals.
Another Leeds player who had a blazing game against Wolves was young starlet Lewis Cook who was all action and energy and a driving force box-to-box. However, it is another Leeds midfield player that the Tigers might want to look out for – Stuart Dallas.
Dallas has scored four goals this season, including an impressive brace against Birmingham but it is another aspect of his play that has added a different dimension to Leeds’ game – his assists. Stuart Dallas has an ability to drift by players, something he has done all season for Leeds. This has led to him leading the Whites with six assists this season, already more than any Leeds player managed last season.
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