Match Preview

Hull City will welcome Frank Lampard’s Derby County to the KCOM Stadium on Tuesday night in the second round of the Carabao Cup. The game will be a good chance for fringe players to get some minutes and hopefully try and push their way into Nigel Adkins’ plans for the rest of the season.

Adkins is likely to make a lot of changes for the match, much like he did in the first round against Sheffield United. George Long is likely to make his competitive debut for The Tigers and if he has a good game we may see a lot of fans start calling for him to be a more permanent fixture in-between the sticks with Marshall having looked shaky at times this season.

Other first team players likely to start are Angus MacDonald, Jon Toral and Nouha Dicko with most of their appearances this season being off the bench. Jon Toral will start at the weekend against Derby as well with Evandro suspended so this will be a good opportunity for him to play some minutes.

Adkins will also give some game time to younger players, much like against Sheffield United where Adam Curry, Robbie McKenzie and Brandon Fleming all performed well.

Frank Lampard could hand new signing Duane Holmes a start for The Rams after he signed for them from Scunthorpe United recently. Ex-Tiger Tom Huddlestone could also make a start having returned from injury.

City are likely to see this fixture as a “free-hit” with the cup nowhere near a priority for this season meaning Adkins will have the chance to try new things and give players minutes in a competitive fixture that they may not have gotten in the league.

Like many early cup fixtures, this game isn’t going to set the world on fire but will instead be a chance for fans and the coaching staff to see fringe players on the pitch.

Potential Starting XI:

Formation: 4-2-3-1

GK: George Long
RB: Robbie McKenzie
CB: Adam Curry
CB: Angus MacDonald
LB: Brandon Fleming
CM: Kevin Stewart
CM: Markus Henriksen (C)
RW: Kamil Grosicki
CAM: Jon Toral
LW: David Milinkovic
ST: Nouha Dicko

Written by: Alex Green