Hull City

Hull City are set to sign 31-year-old former QPR keeper Seny Dieng once he has negotiated his release by Middlesbrough. (Hull Daily Mail, external)

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Thursday's gossip column here.

Middlesbrough are planning to test the resolve of Championship promotion rivals Hull City with a move for star defender Charlie Hughes, who could cost £10m. (Football League World, external)

Boro are also keen on signing Ecuador international winger Jeremy Sarmiento on loan from Brighton, if the Seagulls cut short the 23-year-old's unsuccessful loan at Serie A Cremonese. Sarmiento has been promoted from the Championship during loans with Ipswich and Burnley in the past two seasons. (Teesside Live, external)

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Wednesday's gossip column here.

Image source, Getty Images

Hull City defender Semi Ajayi played the full 90 minutes as Nigeria reached the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).

The 32-year-old was part of the Super Eagles side as they beat Mozambique 4-0 in Fes on Monday night to reach the last eight.

Ajayi has featured in three of the four matches Nigeria have played at the tournament in Morocco.

They will face either Algeria or DR Congo in Saturday's quarter-final tie in Marrakech (16:00 GMT).

Image source, Getty Images

Hull City left-back Matty Jacob has returned from his loan spell with Reading to continue his treatment for a long-term knee injury.

The 24-year-old was initially signed on a season-long loan in the summer but picked up the problem during a FA Cup match against Carlisle United in November to cut his time at the Select Car Leasing Stadium short.

Jacob made 16 appearances across all competitions for the Royals, playing all 90 minutes in 10 League One games.

The Tigers are currently without favoured left wing-back Ryan Giles, who has suffered a hamstring injury that ruled him out of the 1-0 loss to Stoke City on New Year's Day.

Hull City manager Sergej Jakirovic has said he is "not disappointed" by his side's performance in the 0-1 home loss to Stoke City on Thursday.

Robert Bozenik's first half tap in was enough for the Potters to see out the win at the MKM Stadium with Hull missing the chance to go third in the table following Middlesbrough's loss to Derby County.

"It's a normal Championship game, especially at this moment where every game is coming too fast.

"You just have recovery and mental preparation. I think in these days, in this moment, whoever has more energy, more will, more desire, then you can expect something.

"I expected this type of game because, from what I saw, there were a lot of aerial challenges and long balls. I was not satisfied in the first half especially, because we didn't play; we just kicked the ball forward, which was very easy to defend.

"I'm not disappointed at all because I know the lads gave everything on the pitch. In our circumstances, we are losing every game one or two players."

Image source, Opta

Championship promotion-chasing Hull City will look to continue their impressive run of form when they welcome a faltering Stoke City on New Year's Day (15:00 GMT kick-off).

The Tigers are fourth and only two points off the automatic promotion places after a five-game unbeaten run (W4 D1), including an impressive 1-0 win at Middlesbrough last time out.

The Potters have slipped to 10th, four points adrift of the top six, after just two wins from their past 10 games (D1 L7).

• Hull City have lost this exact fixture in each of the past four campaigns, failing to score in three of those defeats. The Tigers lost 2-1 at home to the Potters last season.

• Stoke City have only won more away games in the EFL against West Bromwich Albion (26) than Hull City (14 – level with Wolves).

• Hull's first league game of the year hasn't ended in a draw in any of the past 12 years (W6 L6), since a goalless draw with Blackpool on New Year's Day 2013.

• Stoke's games on New Year's Day in both 2024 (v Ipswich) and 2025 (v Burnley) ended goalless = only three teams have ever had three consecutive games on 1 January end 0-0 in the EFL: Hull City (1972-1977), Stoke City (1972-1977) and Hereford United (1994-2008).

• Against no side has Hull City's Matt Crooks scored more goals against in the EFL than Stoke City (5 - level with Bristol City).

Hull City head coach Sergej Jakirovic felt his team came close to defensive perfection as they won 1-0 at second-placed Middlesbrough.

The Tigers head coach, who also gave an injury update on Mohamed Belloumi, told BBC Radio Humberside:"We were almost perfect in the defensive phase because we knew Middlesbrough would have the ball and are really dangerous.

"They have the biggest possession [percentage] in this league, and that's the reason we changed our system today so we had control in the middle zone to try to direct them on the sides and then when they had a cross in our box we had control there.

"We were very good in this and when we used our chance through Darko [Gyabi]. At the end of the game I didn't feel we were struggling. They try to put you under pressure with crosses or shooting, but if we didn't stop it with the [outfield] players then Ivor [Pandur] made two saves.

"I cannot be unhappy today because we got three points in a very difficult place."

Image source, Getty Images

Hull City manager Sergej Jakirovic criticised his players' performance as they missed the chance to go third in the Championship after a 2-2 draw at Sheffield Wednesday.

Goals from Mohamed Belloumi and Matt Crooks brought Hull level twice but they failed to find a winner, ending a three-match winning run.

"We played like it was Christmas today, not yesterday," Jokirovic told BBC Radio Humberside.

"We were very very poor in the first half, no control and very low energy. We made bad decisions in possession, but started to play after we conceded."

Jokirovic said his team did improve and was unhappy with the referee, who he claims failed to rule out Wednesday's second for offside.

"In the second half, we controlled much more and we had good possession. We created more.

"Their second goal was clearly offside; the referee was poor but my team was also poor. I cannot complain so much.

"I'm very disappointed. We can't change anything; we did everything in preparation. Psychologically, I knew it would be difficult because everyone was counting on three points."

Image source, Getty Images

Sheffield Wednesday will aim to finish a difficult year at Hillsborough on a high as they entertain in-form Hull City on Friday (15:00 GMT).

The Owls' only win came on the road in September and they have not kept a clean sheet at home since December 2024.

They have picked up just two points from 11 games at Hillsborough this season to remain rock-bottom on -9 points, effectively 31 short of safety with 25 games remaining, such is their inferior goal difference.

The Tigers have won their past three games to climb to fourth, five points adrift of the automatic promotion places and with a three point lead over the play-off chasing pack.

• Sheffield Wednesday have won two of their past three league games against Hull (L1), as many as they had in their previous 12 (D4 L6).

• Hull won this exact fixture 1-0 last season but have never won consecutive away league games against Sheffield Wednesday before.

• Having won five consecutive Boxing Day league games between 2014 and 2018, Sheffield Wednesday have won just one of their past five (D2 L2). This is their first such game at home since a 3-0 win against Birmingham in 2015.

• Hull have won just one of their past seven Boxing Day league games (D2 L4), beating Preston 2-1 at Deepdale in 2018.

• Sheffield Wednesday haven't kept a single home league clean sheet in 2025 and have shipped 40 goals at Hillsborough this calendar year – only in 1957 have they conceded more in a year (42).