Barclays Premier League
West Ham United v Hull City
Boleyn Ground
Saturday 20 February 2010
3pm
Referee: Martin Atkinson
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MATTHEW UPSON I SCOTT PARKER I GIANFRANCO ZOLA I CARLTON COLE
Introduction
• West Ham United will take on Hull City looking to make it two wins from two home games after beating Birmingham City 2-0 at the Boleyn Ground on Wednesday 10 February.
• The Hammers go into Saturday's game 15th in the Barclays Premier League table following Wednesday's goalless draw between Wigan Athletic and Bolton Wanderers. Victory could lift West Ham above Sunderland and Wigan Athletic into 13th place.
• West Ham have not lost at home to Hull since 20 January 1990. In the intervening period, the Hammers have scored 7-1 and 2-0 victories over the Tigers in October 1990 and January 2009 respectively.
• Hull go into Saturday's game 17th in the standings, level on 24 points with their hosts but with a far inferior goal difference. West Ham's stands at minus eight, while Hull's stands at minus 26.
• This is the 36th league meeting between the two sides. West Ham have won 12, drawn 14 and lost nine of the previous 35.
• West Ham have not lost at home in the Barclays Premier League since the 5 December visit of Manchester United. Since then the club have drawn 1-1 with Chelsea, won 2-0 against Portsmouth, drawn 0-0 with Blackburn Rovers and beaten Birmingham City 2-0.
• Zola's men have kept three clean-sheets in the last five league matches, and conceded just three goals in total during that period.
• The pair's most recent meeting at the Boleyn Ground took place on 28 January 2009, when David Di Michele and Carlton Cole scored either side of half-time in a 2-0 home win. Hull goalkeeper Matt Duke also saved a penalty from Mark Noble.
• The lineups that day were:
West Ham United: Green, Neill, Collins, Upson, Ilunga, Behrami, Parker, Collison (Faubert 71), Noble (Boa Morte 84), Di Michele (Savio 86), Cole
Subs not used: Lastuvka, Tristan, Tomkins, Sears
Hull City: Duke, Ricketts, Turner, Zayatte, Dawson, Marney (Mendy 73), Ashbee, Kilbane, Geovanni (Bullard 53), Cousin, Manucho (Fagan 53)
Subs not used: Myhill, Garcia, Halmosi, Folan
• West Ham's biggest home win over Hull was the aforementioned 7-1 success on 6 October 1990. Hull's best away showing in east London came in the shape of 2-1 victories on 29 December 1934 and 20 January 1990.
Last time out
Wednesday 10 February 2010
Barclays Premier League
West Ham United 2-0 Birmingham City
West Ham United: Green, Faubert, Upson, Tomkins, Ilunga (Spector 45), Behrami, Parker (Noble 86), Kovac, Diamanti ,Mido (Ilan 66), Cole
Subs not used: Stech, Da Costa, Collison, Stanislas
Goals: Diamanti 45, Cole 67
Wednesday 10 February 2010
Barclays Premier League
Blackburn Rovers 1-0 Hull City
Hull City: Myhill, Gardner, McShane (Zaki 67), Dawson (Zayatte 67), Mouyokolo, Fagan, Boateng, Hunt, Cairney ,Altidore, Vennegoor of Hesselink (Olofinjana 44)
Subs not used: Duke, Kilbane, Barmby, Garcia
Last meeting
• The teams last met at the KC Stadium on 21 November 2008, with the match ending in a thrilling 3-3 draw. Guille Franco and Jack Collison put West Ham 2-0 up early on before a Carlton Cole own-goal, Jimmy Bullard goal and Kamil Zayatte strike gave Hull a 3-2 half-time advantage. After Bernard Mendy had been sent-off for the home side, Manuel da Costa scored a second-half equaliser to grab a share of the spoils.
Hull City: Duke, Mendy, Gardner, Zayatte, Dawson, Fagan, Marney, Garcia (McShane 57), Hunt (Geovanni 85), Bullard, Altidore (Vennegoor of Hesselink 74)
Subs not used: Myhill, Kilbane, Boateng, Barmby
Goals: Cole 27 (og), Zayatte 44, Bullard 45 (pen)
West Ham United: Green, Faubert, Upson, Da Costa, Gabbidon, Parker, Behrami (Hines 60), Collison, Stanislas, Cole, Franco (Jimenez 70)
Subs not used: Kurucz, Spector, Ilunga, Kovac, Nouble
Goals: Franco 5, Collison 11, Da Costa 69
Old boys
• West Ham United midfielder Mark Noble played five matches on loan at Hull City at the end of the 2005/06 season.
• Hull City forward Richard Garcia was part of the West Ham United side that lifted the FA Youth Cup in 1999. The 27-year-old Australian played 22 times for the Hammers before joining Colchester United for a nominal fee in September 2004. Garcia moved on to Hull City in July 2007, helping the club gain promotion to the Premier League in his first season at the KC Stadium.
• Jimmy Bullard spent an early part of his career with West Ham United but failed to make a first-team appearance for the club before leaving for Peterborough United in May 2001.
• Among the other players who have represented both clubs are Tommy Brandon, Roy Carroll, Alf Fenwick, Cliff Hubbard, Stuart Pearson and Tony Weldon.
Head to head
Last six meetings (Premier League unless stated)
21 November 2009 - Hull City 3-3 West Ham United
28 January 2009 - West Ham United 2-0 Hull City
19 October 2008 - Hull City 1-0 West Ham United
23 March 1990 - Hull City 0-0 West Ham United (Division Two)
6 October 1990 - West Ham United 7-1 Hull City
20 January 1990 - West Ham United 1-2 Hull City
Overall record v Hull City (all competitions) W 14 D 14 L 10
Referee
• Saturday's referee will be Martin Atkinson, who last took charge of the West Ham United in the 2-1 Barclays Premier League defeat at Stoke City on 17 October 2009 - his only Hammers appointment this season.
• In contrast, the West Yorkshire official has taken charge of three Hull City league matches this term - the 4-1 defeat at Sunderland on 12 September, the 3-2 home win over Everton on 25 November and the goalless draw at Tottenham Hotspur on 16 January.
• In total, Atkinson has refereed 32 matches this season, issuing 130 yellow cards and three reds.
• A referee since the age of 16, Atkinson was promoted to the Football League list of assistant referees in 1998. In 2000, Atkinson was promoted to the Select Group of assistant referees, allowing him to run the line in Premier League matches.
• He joined the National List of referees for the Football League at the start of the 2003/04 season before taking charge of his first Premier League fixture on 20 April 2005 when Manchester City entertained Birmingham City.
• Atkinson was the man in the middle at the 2006 FA Community Shield between Chelsea and Liverpool at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. He also took charge of the 2008 FA Trophy final between Ebbsfleet United and Torquay United at Wembley Stadium.
• The official has taken charge of one previous West Ham United fixture this season, officiating in the 2-1 Barclays Premier League defeat at Stoke City on Saturday 17 October.
West Ham United
• The Hammers have scored all seven of the penalties they have been awarded this season, a Barclays Premier League high.
• West Ham have scored 32 goals this season in the league with 12 different players on target. Carlton Cole leads the way (eight), with Alessandro Diamanti (six) and Guille Franco and Matthew Upson (three) next in line. Jack Collison, Junior Stanislas (two each), Ilan, Manuel da Costa, Mark Noble, the departed Luis Jimenez, Zavon Hines and Radoslav Kovac have also registered.
• Scott Parker has been cautioned eight times this season and Franco and Noble five. Julien Faubert, Cole, Collison and Kovac are each on four yellow cards, but will not be suspended if they receive a fifth as the FA disciplinary deadline has passed. Should any player reach ten cautions before the second Sunday in April, they will receive a suspension.
• Only Robert Green has played in every league game for the club this season. He is on a run of 112 successive league starts.
• Cole is on a run of 15 goals in 27 league starts since Boxing Day 2008 when he scored the second goal in a 4-1 win at Portsmouth.
Hull City
• Manager Phil Brown has been in charge at Hull City since 4 January 2007. Since then, the 50-year-old has led the Tigers to promotion from the Championship in 2007/08 before maintaining their Barclays Premier League status last season.
• Stephen Hunt is Hull's leading Premier League scorer with six goals in 26 appearances. The injured Geovanni and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink have scored three league goals each. Geovanni has also scored once in each of the two domestic cup competitions.
• Hunt and full-back Andy Dawson have both started all 26 of the Tigers' Premier League fixtures this season. Defender Anthony Gardner and goalkeeper Boaz Myhill have each started 20.
Team news
• Mexico striker Guille Franco and England midfielder Kieron Dyer are both in contention for Gianfranco Zola's West Ham United matchday squad after training fully this week.
• It remains to be seen if Benni McCarthy (knee) will be fit to play on Saturday. Danny Gabbidon (hamstring) is also thought to be close to a full training return.
• Herita Ilunga has been ruled out of Saturday's game with a tendon injury.
• Luis Boa Morte (knee), Calum Davenport (leg) and Zavon Hines (knee) are all long-term absentees. Boa Morte has been doing some light training around the Chadwell Heath pitches - having not played since his cruciate ligament injury at the Barclays Asia Trophy in China in July.
• Hull City have a number of injury concerns ahead of Saturday's fixture, with club captain Ian Ashbee definitely ruled out with a long-term knee ligament problem.
• Brazilian midfielder Geovanni is likely to miss out with a knee injury, but former West Ham playmaker Jimmy Bullard could feature after recovering from his own knee problem.
Match sponsors
• Boostfine Mechanical Services are Saturday's proud Match sponsors.
• Romford-based Boostfine are leaders in the field of heating, ventilation, air conditioning, hot and cold water services, gas services, public health services and water treatment.
• The Man of the Match will be nominated by Boostfine and will be announced shortly before the final whistle.
• For further information about the services offered by Boostfine, click here.
Matchball sponsors
• ADS Painters & Decorators are Saturday's proud Matchball sponsors.
• Based in Romford, ADS Painters & Decorators is one of London's leading painting and decorating contractors - having successfully completed a wide range of works including new builds, refurbishments and fit out projects for leading regional and national construction companies.
• For further information about the services offered by ADS Painters & Decorators, click here.
• For more information on match sponsorships at West Ham United, please call the Corporate Sales Team on 0871 221 2700.
General info
• For ticket information, click here.
• Supporters travelling by train to the home Barclays Premier League fixture with Hull City on Saturday 20 February should be aware of the following information.
• Owing to planned engineering works, the c2c line between Pitsea and Southend Central will be closed. Rail replacement bus services will replace trains, with journey times increased by up to 45 minutes.
• Trains will continue to run between London Fenchurch Street and Pitsea via Laindon and Ockendon, between Fenchurch Street and Grays via Rainham, while a shuttle service will run between Southend Central and Shoeburyness.
• Owing to planned engineering works, the line between Pitsea and Southend Central will be closed. Rail Replacement Bus services will replace trains.
• The London Underground's Jubilee line will also be suspended between Green Park and Stratford, with trains being replaced by buses. The Circle line will also be completely closed.
• For up-to-date public transport information click here.
• Saturday's weather forecast is for sunny intervals and a maximum daytime temperature of 6C.