- 1 Stoke City vs Hull City: two straight defeats for the side hosting a newly promoted team fresh off a win over Manchester United
- 2 Stoke City: a rebuilt squad still trying to find its rhythm
- 3 Hull City: a flying start to life back in the top flight
- 4 FOOT Prediction Stoke City vs Hull City
- 5 First, a word on our free picks
- 6 No obligation from us
- 7 Information changes
- 8 Your role
- 9 Responsible gambling first
- 10 Legal age
- 11 About the images…
Stoke City vs Hull City: two straight defeats for the side hosting a newly promoted team fresh off a win over Manchester United 
Hull City beat Manchester United 2-0 on Saturday in their first Premier League game since 2016-17. Stoke, meanwhile, have lost their opening two Championship matches.
The two clubs meet at the bet365 Stadium on Tuesday 25 August at 19:45 UK time in the second round of the EFL Cup. One division still separates them since the Tigers went up.
The Potters booked their place by beating Oldham Athletic 2-0 in the previous round, the one bright spot in their early season. Hull enter at this stage because they are a top-flight club.
Mark Robins has brought in plenty of new faces this summer and is happy to admit it: his squad still needs time to click. Two league defeats have done nothing for confidence.
Sergej Jakirovic has also rebuilt his squad, but his side produced an immediate result. Two set-piece goals, both scored by defenders, were enough to bring down Manchester United at the MKM Stadium.
The recent record between the two sides still favours the home team, with six Stoke wins in the last 10 meetings in all competitions. That is the only solid argument the Potters can offer before this one.
The bet365 Stadium has not seen Stoke win in the league this season, with the 2-1 defeat to Swansea their only home reference point.
Hull are finding their feet in the Premier League with a side that has been almost completely rebuilt. Eleven new signings arrived at the Tigers during the 2026 summer window.
Stoke City: a rebuilt squad still trying to find its rhythm 
One win against League Two opposition, two league defeats. Stoke’s record after three competitive matches leaves little room for spin.
The 2-0 win over Oldham opened the season, before the 2-1 home defeat to Swansea City in the Championship opener.
The trip to Southampton on Saturday ended 3-1, with Divin Mubama and Ryan Manning striking in the final stages. Finishing games has quickly become a problem for Robins.
The summer business has been huge: Milan Smit, Djibril Soumare, Josh Griffiths, Ethan Galbraith, Svante Ingelsson, Luke Graham, George Morrison, Jack Newall, George Hirst and Ben Johnson have all signed.
The downside is obvious on the pitch, with a side that still lacks any real understanding. Ingelsson is also suspended after his red card at Southampton.
Aaron Cresswell, Lamine Cisse, Bosun Lawal, Junior Tchamadeu and Ato Ampah are unavailable. Robert Bozenik is expected to lead the line, with Tomas Rigo a possible midfield addition.
George Hirst and Milan Smit are among the attacking options brought in this summer, but Robert Bozenik is expected to start up top on Tuesday.
Robins said after the Southampton defeat that his team looked out on its feet in the final 15 minutes. The quick turnaround this week will not help.
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Midfield is the most changed area, with Galbraith, Soumare and Rigo all arriving this summer and fighting for two spots. Robins has not settled his pecking order yet.
The cup gives him a chance to try combinations before the league schedule starts to bite. Two defeats from two league games leave Stoke with very little wriggle room.
Hull City: a flying start to life back in the top flight 
One competitive outing, one win, and a big one at that: 2-0 against Manchester United in Hull’s return to the Premier League.
Both goals came from set pieces, finished by defenders Semi Ajayi and Nobel Mendy. That is already a pretty clear sign of how this team wants to play.
Jakirovic has reshaped his squad with Mendy, Jack Butland, Oscar Zambrano, Matt Targett, Hidemasa Morita, Konstantinos Tzolakis, Jens Hjerto-Dahl, Elliot Stroud, Lucas Herrington, Lucas Gourna-Douath and Joe Gelhardt.
The coach should switch back to a back four after using a five-man defence against the Red Devils, with John Egan the likeliest to drop out of the XI.
The injury list is still long, with Eliot Matazo, Darko Gyabi, Jack Butland, Oscar Zambrano, Charlie Hughes and Joe Gelhardt all out for this trip.
Hjerto-Dahl is tipped to play as the main creator, with Oli McBurnie up front. Survival remains the stated priority, so Jakirovic can afford to rotate in Staffordshire.
Konstantinos Tzolakis is expected to keep goal in Butland’s absence. The keeper is one of Hull’s 11 summer signings.
Lewie Coyle and Ryan Giles are expected to operate wide if Hull return to a back four. That would leave the structure close to the one used on Saturday.
Probable Stoke City XI: Johansson ; Johnson, Wilmot, Gibson, Bocat ; Galbraith, Rigo ; Gallagher, Jun-Ho, Thomas ; Bozenik
Probable Hull City XI: Tzolakis ; Coyle, Ajayi, Mendy, Giles ; Slater, Crooks ; Belloumi, Hjerto-Dahl, Stroud ; McBurnie
FOOT Prediction Stoke City vs Hull City
Our pick: Hull City win
Hull come in off a 2-0 win over Manchester United and have shown instant threat from set pieces. Stoke have already shipped five goals in two Championship games and were cracked open in the final 10 minutes at Southampton.
The Potters will also be without suspended Ingelsson and five injured players, including Cresswell and Tchamadeu, while their defensive structure is still being built after 10 summer arrivals.
The Tigers should get through this round in Staffordshire. The bet is Hull City to win in normal time.
Stoke have beaten only Oldham Athletic this season, a League Two club. Hull beat Manchester United in their first top-flight game.
The Potters’ only real selling point is their record against the Tigers, with six wins in the last 10 meetings in all competitions. That is not enough given current form.
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