Iain Dowie’s first home game in charge of Hull offers Jimmy Bullard a chance to show his former employers Fulham and their manager, Roy Hodgson, precisely what they are missing. Bullard’s midfield playmaking skills probably represents Hull’s best hope of avoiding relegation. After spending much of his time in east Yorkshire injured, he said: “I owe this club and its fans. I don’t want to be seen as a peg-leg.” Fulham are not the best travellers but, having lost to Manchester City and Tottenham during the past week, Hodgson will be anxious to avoid a third defeat in the space of seven days. Louise Taylor

Venue KC Stadium, Saturday 3pm Tickets £32.50 (01482 505 600) Last season Hull 2 Fulham 1 Referee C Foy

This season’s matches 23 Y60, R2, 2.70 cards per game

Odds Hull 6-4 Fulham 21-10 Draw 12-5

Hull

Subs from Duke, Geovanni, Olofinjana, Cairney, Garcia, Barmby, Altidore, Ghilas, Dawson, Hunt

Doubtful Dawson (hamstring), Hunt (foot)

Injured Gardner (ankle, 17 Apr), Zayatte (knee, 24 Apr), Ashbee (knee, May), Zaki (h’string, unknown)

Suspended None

Form guide LLLLLW

Disciplinary record Y54 R5

Leading scorer Hunt 6

Fulham

Subs from Zuberbühler, Konchesky, Smalling, Stoor, Kelly, Greening, Riise, Nevland, Okaka, Dempsey, Elm

Doubtful Zamora (stomach), Elm (virus)

Injured Dikgacoi (ankle, 3 Apr), Paintsil (knee, May), A Johnson (knee, Aug)

Suspended None

Form guide LLDWWD

Disciplinary record Y33 R1

Leading scorer Zamora 8

Match pointers

• Three of these teams’ last five meetings on Humberside have been draws with one win apiece

• Hull have won 24% of games in which Seyi Olofinjana has played, compared to 8% without him

• Fulham have won none of their last 14 league away matches, since the opening-day win at Portsmouth

• Hull have lost two of their last 11 games at the KC Stadium, against Arsenal and Manchester United

• Hull have played 59 league games since they last won by more than a single goal

Hull CityFulhamPremier Leagueguardian.co.uk

• Defender set to play first game since John Terry scandal broke
• Hull striker also admits surprise over Rio Ferdinand ban

The Hull City forward Craig Fagan has vowed not to “cross the line” by taunting Wayne Bridge about his recent off-field turmoil should the pair go up against each other today.

The England left-back Bridge is expected to return to the Manchester City side for the visit to the KC Stadium following a spell out injured, during which allegations surfaced of an affair between his former partner and ex-Chelsea team-mate John Terry.

Should he play on Humberside, Bridge could well be up against Fagan, provided the Tigers’ forward keeps his place on the right wing. Fagan, however, says he would not dare use the recent off-field headlines to gain a psychological advantage over the defender.

“At the end of the day he’s going to be in the spotlight but I’m sure his manager wouldn’t put him in if he wasn’t 100% right,” said Fagan. “Obviously I don’t want to get involved in any of that.

“I wouldn’t even dare mention it to the guy, to be honest. I think that’s crossing the line a bit. If he does play, then fair play to him.”

Fagan also argued Rio Ferdinand’s case after the Manchester United defender’s suspension for elbowing him recently. Ferdinand is serving a four-game ban by the Football Association for apparently lashing out at Fagan at Old Trafford but the Hull striker doubts the England centre-half was being malicious.

“I was blocking him from marking Anthony Gardner and at the time I didn’t think it was an elbow, I thought I just got pushed,” said Fagan.

“It wasn’t until the next day that I heard he was going in front of the FA so it was a bit bizarre. He gave me his shirt after the game and stuff like that, so I don’t think there was any malice in it.”

Fagan’s role is one of a number of selection headaches for the Hull manager, Phil Brown, today, with the recent signing Amr Zaki pushing for a start up front and Seyi Olofinjana returning from the Africa Cup of Nations.

Brown is delighted to have a selection headache, however, particularly concerning the form of the 19-year-old midfielder Tom Cairney.

Cairney made his debut in last weekend’s 2-2 draw with Wolves and impressed sufficiently to keep his place for Tuesday’s game with Chelsea.

The Nottingham-born youngster produced another excellent performance in the 1-1 draw with Carlo Ancelotti’s side and can have high hopes of starting again despite growing competition for places.

Though the club currently sit third from bottom in the Premier League, Brown believes the emergence of Cairney and the steady progress of fellow youngsters Liam Cooper and Mark Cullen is evidence of a positive future for the cash-strapped club.

The Hull manager said: “Tom Cairney, in the light of Jimmy Bullard’s long-term injury and one or two falling by the wayside in terms of form and then Seyi Olofinjana going to the African Nations Cup, has grabbed his chance.

“It doesn’t look like Tom needs his feet keeping on the ground. He looks like he’s taking it all in his stride.”

Brown will be without the forward Geovanni today after he suffered a minor medial ligament problem, though the Brazilian could return for the midweek trip to Blackburn.

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