Hull v Fulham preview

King set for Tigers bow, Johnson out for Cottagers

By Lewis Rutledge   Last updated: 15th August 2008

Phil Brown head scratch Crewe v Hull

Brown: Could start with King

PREDICTIONS:

Skysports.com prediction: 1-2

SKY BET odds: Hull 6/4, Draw 9/4, Fulham 9/5

One to Watch: Bobby Zamora

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Fulham are the visitors to the KC Stadium for Hull's historic first match in the top tier of English football.

The Tigers clinched their place in the Premier League with a 1-0 victory over Bristol City in the Championship play-off final in May.

They have predictably been installed as one of the hot favourites to be relegated and will be keen to make a fast start to the new season.

Fulham only stayed up on the final day of last term and Hull will regard a home game against the Cottagers as the sort of occasion where they need to be picking up three points.

Phil Brown has been busy strengthening his squad over the summer and a number of players could make their debuts.

Jamaica international Marlon King is poised to go straight into the side after joining on a season-long loan from Wigan on Thursday, although Dean Windass and Caleb Folan are also pushing for places up front.

Peter Halmosi, George Boateng, Anthony Gardner, Bernard Mendy and Geovanni could all feature in a new-look Hull team.

Brown has no injury worries after Folan recovered from a muscle strain earlier in the week.

Zamora set to start

Roy Hodgson has been just as active as Brown in the transfer market in a bid to ensure that Fulham do not become involved in a scrap for survival.

He will be hoping that his side can continue their stunning form from the end of last season, when they won four of their final five games.

However, £10.5million striker Andy Johnson is still recovering from a thigh injury and will play no part against Hull.

Bobby Zamora is expected to make his debut after signing from West Ham in July, but Hodgson must decide on his strike partner in Johnson's absence and may turn to David Healy.

Diomansy Kamara is still sidelined with a knee injury but Hodgson now has a large squad to choose from and is likely to include many of his summer signings.

Goalkeepers Mark Schwarzer, Pascal Zuberbuhler and David Stockdale, defenders John Pantsil and Fredrik Stoor, and midfielders Andranik Teymourian and Zoltan Gera will all be aiming to make their first appearances.

Possible starting XIs

Hull: Myhill, Ricketts, Gardner, Turner, Mendy, Boateng, Geovanni, Marney, Halmosi, King, Windass

Fulham: Schwarzer, Stoor, Hughes, Hangeland, Konchesky, Davies, Bullard, Murphy, Gera, Zamora, Healy