McCann worried about the Posh pitch, but looking forward to meeting up with old friends, all ‘the Tigers’ facts and form, big match odds

Hull City’s Grant McCann is the latest manager to express concern about the state of the Weston Homes Stadium playing surface.
Grant McCann in action for Posh against Hull in 2011.Grant McCann in action for Posh against Hull in 2011.
Grant McCann in action for Posh against Hull in 2011.

McCann brings his table-topping side to tackle second-placed Posh tonight (March 9, 7pm). Posh have a formidable home record of 12 wins and two draws from 15 home games in League One. They’ve only dropped one point at home since a burst water pipe ruined the surface early in December.

Former Posh boss McCann told the Hull Daily Mail: “It’s going to be a difficult game because of the condition of the pitch. They’ve had a problem with the pitch there because of a water leak.

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“They’re used to that pitch. They’ve been playing on it most of the season so it’s going to be a challenge for us.

Siriki Dembele of Peterborough United celebrates scoring his goal at Hull City earlier this season. Photo: Joe Dent/theposh.com.Siriki Dembele of Peterborough United celebrates scoring his goal at Hull City earlier this season. Photo: Joe Dent/theposh.com.
Siriki Dembele of Peterborough United celebrates scoring his goal at Hull City earlier this season. Photo: Joe Dent/theposh.com.

“Peterborough have been really good this season hence why they’ve been in and around the top of the league for most of it. They’re a good team, with a good manager.

“It’s a club I know very well from my time there, I haven’t got a bad word to say about anybody there, there’s great people at the football club.

“It’s just another game for us, we’ll go there and try to perform.

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“We’ll go there and look forward to the challenge, and hopefully we’ll get another three points.”

THE HULL LOWDOWN

McCann won 41 and lost 36 of his 104 competitive matches as Posh manager. As an opposition manager McCann has a win, a draw and a defeat from three matches against Posh.

McCann took on Posh twice in the 2018-19 season when managing Doncaster and his side largely outplayed Steve Evans’ team in a 1-1 draw at London Road before winning the return fixture at the Keepmoat Stadium against a side by then managed by current Posh boss Darren Ferguson.

Rovers came from behind to win 3-1 in a controversial contest in which the home side scored from a throw-in after Posh goalkeeper Connor O’Malley had deliberately kicked the ball out of play believing a teammate needed treatment.

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McCann had been dismissed by Posh and replaced by Evans when the 2017-28 promotion push started to falter.

PAST MATCHES

Posh managed to come from behind to beat McCann’s Hull 2-1 at the KCOM Stadium back in October thanks to deflected goals from Jonson Clarke-Harris and Siriki Dembele.

The teams haven’t met at London Road since the 2012-13 season when a 79th-minute McCann penalty gave Posh a 1-1 draw.

Overall Posh have an outstanding home record in Football League matches against Hull with 11 wins and just three defeats in 17 outings.

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Hull last won at London Road in a Championship fixture in 2011 when former Posh star Aaron Mclean scored the only goal of the game.

CURRENT FORM

Hull have smacked in 37 goals in 17 League One away games this season, 11 more than any team has managed.

The Tigers have won impressively at promotion rivals Portsmouth (4-0) and Ipswich (3-0).

McCann won the manager of the month prize for January after Hull went through the month unbeaten, but they had a little wobble before winning their past three matches against strugglers Wimbledon (3-0), Rochdale (2-0) and Bristol Rovers (2-0).

DANGER MEN

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Mallik Wilks is enjoying an outstanding season with 16 goals from a wide position, including one against Posh earlier this season.

Northern Ireland international Josh Magennis has 11 goals to his name with talented teenager Keane Lewis-Potter on six.

ODDS

Posh are 6/4 favourites to win League One with Sky Bet. Hull are second favourites at 3/1.

Posh are 8/5 to win tonight, Hull are 13/8 with the draw at 11/5.

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