Aston Villa vs Hull City. Sky Bet Championship.
Villa ParkAttendance33,619.
Friday 18 January 2019 10:36, UK
Jonathan Kodjia is fit for Aston Villa's home clash with Hull.
The striker missed Saturday's 3-0 defeat at Wigan with an ankle injury but he has trained all week and is available. Andre Green has returned from his loan spell at Portsmouth and could feature in Dean Smith's squad.
Jack Grealish (shin) and Axel Tuanzebe (foot) and Henri Lansbury (hamstring) are all ruled out, while Mile Jedinak has returned to training.
Hull continue to be without Jackson Irvine with the midfielder on international duty at the Asian Cup with Australia. Striker Fraizer Campbell has shaken off a knock and is back available for selection.
James Weir (knee) has been sidelined for 14 months and will not play at Villa Park. Angus MacDonald has been sidelined with deep vein thrombosis since August and has been ruled out again despite returning to light training.
Aston Villa are unbeaten in 12 home matches against Hull in all competitions (W9 D3) since a 2-3 defeat in November 1967.
Hull have lost 11 of their last 15 matches against Aston Villa in all competitions (W1 D3), losing 1-3 on the opening day of the Championship this season.
Aston Villa manager Dean Smith is winless in three Championship meetings with Hull (W0 D2 L1), only facing Barnsley and Blackburn (four times) more often at this level without victory.
Hull manager Nigel Adkins has managed at Villa Park against Aston Villa just once previously, winning 1-0 as Southampton boss in the Premier League in January 2013.
Aston Villa are winless in their last four league games at Villa Park (D3 L1), they haven't failed to win in five successive home games since October 2016.
Hull City's Jarrod Bowen has netted seven goals in his last five league games and scored his fourth brace of the season against Sheffield Wednesday last time out.
Is the early positivity felt under Dean Smith dwindling at Villa Park? It was always going to take him a while to make his mark but one win in seven Championship games will never be good enough for Aston Villa at this level.
This would have been a home banker earlier in the season but Hull are absolutely flying with six wins on the spin and now find themselves above Villa in the table. They could easily keep that going on Saturday.
David Prutton predicts: 1-2 (11/1 with Sky Bet)
