Chelsea will aim to secure a spot in the FA Cup fifth round when they take on Hull City at the MKM Stadium on Friday.
The 2025/26 FA Cup will resume this week with the fourth round. The latest phase begins on Friday with two simultaneous games, including Hull City vs Chelsea at the MKM Stadium, which presents an opportunity for another trademark “Magic of the Cup” moment.
Hull City entered the 2025/26 FA Cup in the third round and qualified for the latest phase with a penalty shootout victory over Blackburn Rovers after the two teams played a goalless stalemate. However, the Tigers have not started February well, as they have failed to win their two games thus far, thus suffering a setback in the bid to secure automatic promotion to the Premier League.
On the other hand, Chelsea cruised to a 5-1 win over Charlton Athletic in the FA Cup third round to set up the latest clash with Hull City. The Blues have been impressive since Liam Rosenior took over as the head coach, failing to win only three of their ten games under the English tactician. However, the visitors come into Friday’s clash on the back of a frustrating 2-2 draw with Leeds United.
The most recent clash featuring Hull City and Chelsea also came in the FA Cup fourth round, with the West London club clinching a 2-0 win thanks to goals by Michy Batshuayi and Fikayo Tomori. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Hull City
Sergej Jakirovic has no new injury concerns hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Hull City manager will be bereft of the services of half a dozen first-team players vs Chelsea on Friday.
Eliot Matazo is a long-term absentee, as he continues to recover from a knee injury. The Belgian midfielder accompanies Semi Ajayi (thigh), Mohamed Belloumi (hamstring), Cody Drameh (thigh), Darko Gyabi (groin), and Matt Crooks (hamstring) in the treatment room.
Ivor Pandur is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Hull City lining up in a 3-4-1-2 formation in front of him vs Chelsea on Friday. The central defensive unit will feature Paddy McNair, John Egan, and Charles Hughes. Meanwhile, Lewie Coyle and Ryan Giles will be the two wing-backs.
The wide duo will protect the centre-backs and provide width in the final third. As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Regan Slater and John Lundstram in the middle of the park, with Joe Gelhardt reprising the no. 10 role. Finally, Kyle Joseph and Oliver McBurnie will start as the two strikers for the home side.
Probable Lineup (3-4-1-2): Pandur; McNair, Egan, Hughes; Coyle, Slater, Lundstram, Giles; Gelhardt; Joseph, McBurnie
Chelsea
Unlike his counterpart in the Hull City dugout, Liam Rosenior has a new issue to worry about ahead of the trip to the MKM Stadium. The Chelsea head coach will also be without half a dozen first-team players on Friday.
Marc Cucurella may be the latest absentee after sustaining a hamstring injury in the Premier League game against Leeds United earlier this week. The Spanish international accompanies Levi Colwill (knee), Dario Essugo (hamstring), and Jamie Gittens (thigh) in the treatment room. Additionally, Romeo Lavia is not fit enough to feature yet for Chelsea, while Mykhailo Mudryk continues to serve a suspension after failing a doping test several months ago.
Filip Jorgensen will replace Robert Sanchez between the sticks, with Chelsea lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Hull City on Friday. The backline will feature Josh Acheampong, Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile, and Jorrel Hato.
As for the midfield unit, Andrey Santos will line up alongside Moises Caicedo in the double pivot. Estevao Willian will reprise the no. 10 role, with Alejandro Garnacho and Pedro Neto being the two wide attackers. Finally, Liam Delap will spearhead the Chelsea attack against Hull City on Friday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Jorgensen; Acheampong, Fofana, Badiashile, Hato; Caicedo, Santos; Neto, Estevao, Garnacho; Delap
Key Stats
- Hull City have won one of their last 35 games vs Chelsea in all competitions (D8 L26), a 3-0 win in October 1988 under Eddie Gray. They have lost their eight most recent games against the Blues.
- Chelsea have progressed from all eight FA Cup ties with Hull City. It is the joint best 100% progress rate by a team against another in FA Cup history, along with Leicester City against Birmingham City.
- Hull City are looking to reach the FA Cup fifth round for the first time since 2017/18. However, the Tigers have been eliminated in their last 16 ties against top-flight teams while playing outside the top-flight themselves, since a 1-0 win against West Ham in 1972/73.
- Chelsea have progressed from 62 of their last 64 FA Cup ties against sides from outside the Premier League, although both defeats in this run have been against Yorkshire teams: 1-0 vs Barnsley in 2007/08 and 4-2 vs Bradford City in 2014/15.
- Enzo Fernandez has been involved in five goals in seven FA Cup appearances for Chelsea (G3 A2), while he has four goals and two assists in eight domestic cup appearances against sides from a lower division.
Player to Watch
Liam Delap
While Estevao Willian, Oliver McBurnie, and Joe Gelhardt were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Liam Delap as the Player to Watch for Friday’s FA Cup clash between Hull City and Chelsea at the MKM Stadium.
The English striker has endured a stop-start season with Chelsea, struggling with fitness issues and falling behind Joao Pedro in the pecking order. That has led to speculation surrounding his future, with several clubs tracking Delap’s situation at the West London club. So, Friday’s clash provides the 23-year-old an opportunity to impress Liam Rosenior and earn more chances in the final months of the 2025/26 season.
Prediction
Hull City 1-3 Chelsea
Unlike the third-round clash with Charlton Athletic, Friday’s FA Cup encounter against Hull City will pose a significant threat to Chelsea. While the Tigers come into the match on the back of two successive winless results, their attack has been impressive in the 2025/26 season.
Additionally, the visitors have shown a soft underbelly throughout the 2025/26 season, and the home side can capitalise on that this week. However, while Hull City will take the game to Chelsea, they will not have enough quality to win on Friday, with the West London outfit having an embarrassment of riches in the offensive unit. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 victory for Liam Rosenior.
