Hull City vs Chelsea: prediction, head-to-head and probable line-ups – 13 February 2026
One of the matches in the fourth round of the FA Cup will take place on Friday at the MKM Stadium, where local side Hull City will host London giants Chelsea. For Liam Rosenior, this is a special occasion—a return to the arena of his former club, where he worked less than two years ago, but now as the manager of one of the Premier League's elite. Let’s take a look at the best bet for this clash.
Match preview
Hull City come into the game brimming with ambition and the inner drive to finally break their long-standing winless run against Chelsea. The Tigers have not beaten the Londoners since 1988 and have lost their last eight encounters, including FA Cup clashes in 2018 and 2020. That said, Sergei Yakirovich’s squad had shown decent form leading up to this tie – four straight victories, including a penalty shootout win over Blackburn. However, recent home matches against Watford (0-0) and Bristol City (2-3) have somewhat tempered expectations.
The hosts possess some concrete attacking arguments – Oli McBurnie (12 Championship goals) and Joe Gelhardt (10 goals) consistently pile on the pressure, while left-back Ryan Giles, with eight assists, remains one of the league’s top providers. However, facing a side of Chelsea’s calibre means Hull will need to maintain intensity for the full 90 minutes, and squad depth could become an issue.
Chelsea under Liam Rosenior look far more cohesive and organized than they did at the start of the campaign. Despite a recent 2-2 draw with Leeds, the Blues have won seven of their last ten matches in all competitions and are gradually finding consistency. Last year’s exit at this stage to Brighton still stings, and the club are determined to avoid a repeat.
Squad rotation is expected after a congested fixture list, but even Chelsea’s second string looks formidable on paper. Delap, Garnacho, Badiashile, and Fofana could all start, and the attacking depth and midfield versatility allow the Blues to control proceedings even if things aren’t perfect. It’s also notable that in all four of Rosenior’s wins, Chelsea’s opponents failed to register even 1.00 xG – a testament to their growing tactical discipline.
Probable line-ups
- Hull City: Pandur, McNair, Egan, Hughes, Coyle, Slater, Lundstram, Giles, Gelhardt, Joseph, McBurnie.
- Chelsea: Sanchez, Acheampong, Fofana, Badiashile, Hato, Caicedo, Santos, Neto, Estevao, Garnacho, Delap.
Match facts and head-to-head
- Hull City have not beaten Chelsea since 1988 and have lost the last eight head-to-head meetings.
- In their previous two FA Cup encounters (2018 and 2020), Chelsea knocked Hull out of the competition.
- Chelsea have won seven of their last ten matches in all competitions heading into this fixture.
Prediction
Hull will look to play with emotion and make use of home advantage, but the visitors’ class and squad depth should tell as the match progresses. If Chelsea avoid complacency and manage their workload smartly after the Leeds game, the Londoners should progress to the next round without any major scares.
