Lokeren v Hull City: Don't expect the Tigers to bare their claws too often

Hull boss Steve Bruce is expected to rotate his squad

Hull City's first ever foray into continental competition continues on Thursday evening, and Kevin Hatchard expects a tight affair in Belgium...

Lokeren v Hull City
Thursday August 21, 19:30
Match Odds: Lokeren 3.02/1, Hull 2.6813/8, the draw 3.3512/5

Hull City boss Steve Bruce has insisted he will take the Europa League seriously, but the Tigers' first ever European adventure was almost over before it had barely begun. Last season's FA Cup runners-up were staring down the barrel of an early exit against Slovakian outfit Trencin, but Sone Aluko's 80th-minute strike at the KC Stadium was enough to dig his side out of jail. Hull won 2-1 on the night and 2-1 on aggregate. They followed up that success with a fine 1-0 win at QPR in the Premier League opener.

A tough test now awaits, as last season's Belgian Cup winners Lokeren stand between Hull City and a place in the group stage. As well as securing cup glory, coach Peter Maes led his side to fifth in the Belgian Pro League last term, and they have taken eight points from their first four league matches of this campaign. Lokeren had a strong defensive record last season, shipping just 36 goals in 32 regular season games, and they have already kept a couple of clean sheets this term.

Bruce says he will rotate his squad, giving some of last season's heroes the chance to impress. Tricky wide player George Boyd is a player he has specifically named as being deserving of a start, while Aluko is likely to be brought back into the attack. Hull have lost some of their firepower recently - fleet-footed striker Shane Long has moved to Southampton, while technically-gifted wide player Robert Snodgrass is set to spend a long spell on the sidelines because of a serious knee injury. There are also a couple of injury doubts in defence, as Alex Bruce and Liam Rosenior are both struggling with back injuries.

I can't see too many goals in this one. The stakes are really high for both sides, as a group stage campaign in this competition is an attractive proposition. Bruce has spoken openly about how impressed he's been by Lokeren, and is likely to adopt a safety-first approach. The bet that stands out is backing No in the Both Teams To Score market at 2.0621/20. That bet has paid out in two of Hull's three matches this season, and three of Lokeren's four games.

Recommended Bet
Back No in the Both Teams To Score market at 2.0621/20