Man City v Hull City preview

Brown: Eastlands return

PREDICTIONS:

Skysports.com prediction: Man City 3 Hull City 1

SKY BET odds: Man City 2/7, Draw 4/1, Hull City 10/1

One to Watch: Craig Bellamy

City to win 3-1 and Bellamy to score the first goal is 22/1 so a £10 stake would return £230. Bet on Saturday's match

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Phil Brown returns to the scene of one of the defining moments of his career as improving Hull City tackle draw specialists Manchester City at Eastlands.

On Boxing Day last year, with the Tigers trailing 4-0 at the interval, Brown kept his players on the pitch for a very public half-time dressing down.

A repeat performance 11 months on is highly unlikely, particularly with suggestions that many Hull players were less than impressed to be subjected to an on-field humiliation.

Brown's tenure with the Tigers was believed to be in the balance after the departure of Paul Duffen and the return of Adam Pearson as chairman, but improved on-field performances have eased the pressure.

Three successive home games have garnered seven points and lifted Hull away from the relegation zone, although they have played a game more than their rivals.

Manchester City, meanwhile, have seen their ambitions of a top-four finish dented by a run of six successive draws, which has seen them slide to sixth in the standings.

Mark Hughes invested significant funds in his defence over the summer but, despite the expensive arrivals of Kolo Toure and Joleon Lescott, his backline is more porous than the likes of Birmingham, Stoke and Fulham.

City remain unbeaten in front of their own fans, but a run of three consecutive Eastlands victories has been followed by back-to-back draws against Fulham and Burnley where a winning position has been lost on both occasions.

Team news

Hughes could be boosted by the return of Brazil international Robinho, who has finally recovered from the stress fracture of his ankle which has kept him out of action since September.

Toure was forced off at half-time during the 2-2 draw with Liverpool at Anfield last time out with a back problem but will hope to feature, while Martin Petrov's knee injury is expected to keep him out.

Vincent Kompany and Michael Johnson are available for selection but will have to make do with seats on the bench at best.

Tigers boss Brown rested influential midfielder Jimmy Bullard for the midweek victory over Everton but he is expected to be back in the starting XI against City.

Craig Fagan is back in contention after suffering a chest injury in the draw with West Ham and sitting out the success against the Toffees.

Bernard Mendy returns after serving a one-match suspension for his red card against the Hammers but Seyi Olofinjana is expected to remain on the sidelines with a hamstring injury.

Possible starting XIs:

Manchester City: Given, Zabaleta, Toure, Lescott, Bridge, De Jong, Wright-Phillips, Barry, Ireland, Bellamy, Adebayor.

Hull City: Duke, Mendy, Gardner, Zayatte, Dawson, Garcia, Marney, Bullard, Hunt, Geovanni, Altidore.