Bristol City make the trip to the KCOM Stadium to face Hull City knowing that only a win will be enough to maintain their hopes of reaching the Championship playoffs.
Hull have gone four matches without a win, but Nigel Adkins's team can still finish as high as ninth position in the standings.
Hull City
© Reuters
There was a time this season when Hull would have been delighted with entering the final weekend of the campaign sitting in 13th position, but that is no longer the case after a four-game winless streak.
The Tigers were in contention to earn an unlikely place in the playoffs at the beginning of April, and it would have represented a remarkable achievement with just two triumphs coming from their opening 14 games.
A 10-match unbeaten streak at the turn of the year moved Hull away from a relegation battle, and Adkins witnessed his side continue to deliver points on a regular basis.
However, Hull would have always been wary that they faced a tough end to the season, and just one point has come from meetings with Middlesbrough, West Bromwich Albion, Sheffield United and Swansea City.
There will be disappointment on Humberside with Hull having failed to remain a factor in the playoff picture, but achieving a top-10 position would still represent progress for a club who saw many incomings and outgoings last summer.
Adkins will already have in his mind that key man Jarrod Bowen will be sold during the summer, and Hull will have a huge void to fill with the playmaker having contributed 22 goals and four assists this season.
That said, Adkins will be able to use the funds from any transfer to continue to develop his squad, and not largely relying on the performances of one player may benefit Hull in the long term.
Fraizer Campbell and Kamil Grosicki have also provided valuable assistance to Bowen, but Adkins may feel the need to place focus on signing younger players in the transfer market with the pair now the wrong side of 30.
Recent form: WWLLLD
Bristol City
© Reuters
Bristol City are another team who have benefited from a lengthy winning streak to put themselves in the playoff hunt but like with Hull, a poor end to the season could undermine their efforts earlier in the year.
Lee Johnson watched his side come from behind to earn a 2-1 win over Millwall in their last fixture, but it was just the second success that City have recorded in seven attempts.
City - at one stage - had looked relatively comfortable in the top six, but Johnson now needs Derby County to lose to West Bromwich Albion and Middlesbrough to fail to beat Rotherham United on Sunday afternoon.
The club's manager will stress to his team that they must focus on taking care of business against Hull, but there will be an acknowledgement that they are outsiders to maintain their Premier League dream.
That should not have been the case when you consider that City registered 31 points during a 13-match spell between November 28 and February 12, but City have simply not produced since exiting the FA Cup to Wolverhampton Wanderers at the fifth-round stage.
Johnson will take the positives from his players rallying during the closing stages at The Den to see off Millwall, and an early goal at Hull may reverberate at Pride Park and The New York Stadium.
However, City have not scored inside the opening 70 minutes in their last five outings, and that is likely to have to change if they are to achieve their target on Sunday.
Johnson will also want to see his team end a run of seven matches without a clean sheet, something which may be easier said than done given the firepower for Hull in the final third.
Recent form: WLDLLW
Team News
© Reuters
Eros Pisano and Jack Hunt are both doubtful for Bristol City due to knocks sustained at Millwall in midweek, and it could lead to Johnson switching to a back three.
Korey Smith and Callum O'Dowda are also injured, while Antoine Semenyo remains suspended after his sending-off against Derby on April 27.
Hull also have selection issues with loanees Todd Kane and Marc Pugh having already returned to Chelsea and Bournemouth respectively, while Stephen Kingsley is a doubt having picked up a knock.
Adkins must decide whether to hand a rare start to Nouha Dicko, who netted just his second goal of the season in the last fixture against Swansea City.
Hull City possible starting lineup:
Long; Lichaj, McKenzie, Wijs, Fleming; Batty, Henriksen; Bowen, Irvine, Grosicki; Dicko
Bristol City possible starting lineup:
Maenpaa; Webster, Kalas, Wright; Paterson, Brownhill, Pack, Kelly; Palmer, Weimann; Diedhiou
Head To Head
Sunday's match will represent the 86th competitive encounter between the two clubs, with Bristol City registering 34 wins in comparison to 28 victories for Hull.
Bristol City are unbeaten in their last three meetings with Hull, while the two teams played out a 5-5 thriller at Ashton Gate a little over a year ago.
Hull have not got the better of the Robins in the Championship since recording a 4-0 triumph in front of their own supporters in April 2016.
We say: Hull City 1-2 Bristol City
Hull will be determined to end a mixed campaign on a high, but the visitors may have an extra edge on Sunday afternoon. We feel that could prove to be the difference in a closely-fought encounter with City perhaps netting a late goal to secure the three points.
No Data Analysis info
