United visit league leaders Hull City on Saturday, hoping to complete their second double of the season, or at least avoiding a defeat anyway. Many people are touting this as a make-or-break fixture, at least as far as the championship is concerned, but with over 20 games still to play this is far from the case. Hull and United have the same points total, but City’s goal difference is marginally better, while United have a game in hand on the Tigers, whom they beat 2-1 at the KasStad at the start of the season.

United will be without Julian Alsop, who misses the third of the five games for which he is suspended, and also without Derek Townsley, who has been released from his contract and is likely to sign for Gretna Town or some other far northern outfit. Andy Scott and Jamie Brooks are still not yet fit enough to play, but otherwise there is a full squad to choose from. Ian Atkins is unlikely to make radical changes from the side that drew with Lincoln last weekend. Richie Foran will probably start in place of Jefferson Louis, while the jury is out on whether Steve Basham or Mark Rawle will partner Foran. In defence the experience of Paul McCarthy is likely to be prefered over the pace of Jon Ashton, and there are unlikely to be any changes in midfield.

Hull City will possibly be without striker Danny Allsopp, who is still suffering from a groinstrain that has kept him on the bench recently. Otherwise they will be at full strength, and there will also be a sell-out crowd at the Kingston Communications Stadium. United will be hoping to stuff Peter Taylor’s sour grapes back down his throat following his less than complimentary remarks after Hull’s defeat to Oxford in August, while Ian Atkins will probably be looking at the same tactics that United used to such good effect at the Vetch against Swansea. Rage Online would be satisfied with a draw, delirious with a win, gutted with a defeat. We anticipate being slightly gutted come 4.45 on Saturday, probably to the tune of 0-2.