Follow live coverage as Hull City face Middlesbrough in the Championship today.
An increasingly competitive second tier in English football remains an intense and exciting competition, with the prize of a place in the Premier League on offer at the end of the season.
Relegation from the top flight last term means Luton, Burnley and Sheffield United are all back in the second tier this term and will be expected to push for play-off spots again at least, but so too will Norwich City, an improving Coventry and beaten play-off finalists Leeds United. At the other end of the table, Wayne Rooney is aiming to revive Plymouth’s fortunes after they narrowly avoided relegation last year, with Portsmouth and Derby the teams promoted from League One along with play-off final winners Oxford.
Follow live updates from today’s game in the live blog below.
Hull City AFC 0 - 1 Middlesbrough FC
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
19:26Match ends, Hull City 0, Middlesbrough 1.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
19:26Second Half ends, Hull City 0, Middlesbrough 1.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
19:26Daniel Barlaser (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
19:24Goal! Hull City 0, Middlesbrough 1. Alex Gilbert (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Delano Burgzorg.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
19:23Hayden Hackney (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
19:22Dael Fry (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
19:22Fourth official has announced 4 minutes of added time.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
19:20Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Sean McLoughlin.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
19:20Attempt blocked. Daniel Barlaser (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
19:20Substitution, Middlesbrough. Alex Gilbert replaces Finn Azaz.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
19:20Alfie Jones (Hull City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
19:17Emmanuel Latte Lath (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
19:15Harry Vaughan (Hull City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
19:16Harry Vaughan (Hull City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
19:15Ben Doak (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
19:15Corner, Hull City. Conceded by Dael Fry.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
19:15Attempt blocked. Regan Slater (Hull City) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Chris Bedia.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
19:15Finn Azaz (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
19:15Attempt missed. Sean McLoughlin (Hull City) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Ryan Giles with a cross following a set piece situation.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
19:15Foul by Ben Doak (Middlesbrough).
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
19:15Attempt blocked. Alfie Jones (Hull City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ryan Giles with a cross.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
19:15Corner, Hull City. Conceded by Daniel Barlaser.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
19:10Substitution, Hull City. Harry Vaughan replaces Mason Burstow.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
19:08Delano Burgzorg (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
19:06Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Ivor Pandur.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
19:06Attempt saved. Finn Azaz (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Daniel Barlaser.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
19:05Attempt saved. Delano Burgzorg (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Ben Doak with a cross.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
19:05Attempt blocked. Hayden Hackney (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Delano Burgzorg.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
19:05Attempt blocked. Delano Burgzorg (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Anfernee Dijksteel.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
19:05Attempt blocked. Delano Burgzorg (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
19:05Hayden Hackney (Middlesbrough) hits the right post with a right footed shot from outside the box. Assisted by Finn Azaz.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
19:05Hand ball by Steven Alzate (Hull City).
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
19:05Substitution, Hull City. Chris Bedia replaces João Pedro.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
19:05Substitution, Middlesbrough. Ben Doak replaces Isaiah Jones.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
19:05Substitution, Middlesbrough. Delano Burgzorg replaces Riley McGree.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
19:05Substitution, Middlesbrough. Neto Borges replaces Lukas Engel.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
18:59Offside, Hull City. Mason Burstow is caught offside.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
18:56Attempt missed. Finn Azaz (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from the left side of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Riley McGree.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
18:52Foul by Emmanuel Latte Lath (Middlesbrough).
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
18:52Attempt saved. Hayden Hackney (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Lukas Engel.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
18:51Attempt saved. Xavier Simons (Hull City) left footed shot from outside the box is saved.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
18:50Substitution, Hull City. Abu Kamara replaces Abdülkadir Ömür.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
18:49Hayden Hackney (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
18:47Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Ryan Giles.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
18:45Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Ryan Giles.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
18:41Offside, Middlesbrough. Emmanuel Latte Lath is caught offside.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
18:40Attempt missed. Lukas Engel (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from outside the box.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
18:36Second Half begins Hull City 0, Middlesbrough 0.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
18:36Substitution, Hull City. Ryan Giles replaces Gustavo Puerta.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
18:19First Half ends, Hull City 0, Middlesbrough 0.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
18:18Attempt missed. Riley McGree (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from the centre of the box.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
18:17Rav van den Berg (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
18:17Fourth official has announced 3 minutes of added time.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
18:14Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Regan Slater.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
18:14Attempt blocked. Hayden Hackney (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
18:10Offside, Middlesbrough. Emmanuel Latte Lath is caught offside.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
18:08Offside, Hull City. Mason Burstow is caught offside.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
18:05Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Ivor Pandur.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
18:05Attempt saved. Riley McGree (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from outside the box is saved.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
18:03Daniel Barlaser (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
18:03Foul by Isaiah Jones (Middlesbrough).
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
18:03Attempt saved. Emmanuel Latte Lath (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Finn Azaz.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
18:00Foul by Riley McGree (Middlesbrough).
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
17:58Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by João Pedro.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
17:57Anfernee Dijksteel (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
17:56Attempt missed. Finn Azaz (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Riley McGree.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
17:54Rav van den Berg (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
17:51Attempt missed. Steven Alzate (Hull City) right footed shot from outside the box.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
17:51Attempt blocked. Mason Burstow (Hull City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Gustavo Puerta.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
17:51Foul by Mason Burstow (Hull City).
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
17:50Foul by João Pedro (Hull City).
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
17:46Daniel Barlaser (Middlesbrough) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
17:46Foul by Daniel Barlaser (Middlesbrough).
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
17:45Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
17:42Delay in match because of an injury Lukas Engel (Middlesbrough).
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
17:42Attempt blocked. Lewie Coyle (Hull City) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
17:40Corner, Hull City. Conceded by Hayden Hackney.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
17:38Foul by Daniel Barlaser (Middlesbrough).
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
17:36Attempt missed. Finn Azaz (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from the right side of the box.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
17:34Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Cody Drameh.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
17:31First Half begins.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
17:00Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Hull City vs Middlesbrough
15:30Follow live football coverage with The Independent today.
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