The Tigers are only outside the top six on goal difference after fourth home win
Barry Cooper Hull City correspondent
21:53, 21 Oct 2025
Hull City forward Liam Millar celebrates scoring
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Hull City forward Liam Millar celebrates scoring
A delightful first-half showing, coupled with a stout second-half display, saw Hull City make it three straight wins by beating Leicester City 2-1 at the MKM Stadium.
City led 2-0 at the break after a stunning first half display against the Foxes. Millar's first goal in more than a year lit the blue touch paper for an impressive showing after just six minutes, and it was 2-0 just after the half-hour when Joe Gelhardt made it two in two, turning in at the back post from Ryan Giles' cross.
Leicester threatened to fight back when Aaron Ramsey stepped off the bench to angle in an exquisite lob but City survived a nervy ending to claim a huge three points, and claim a fourth home win of what is turning into a spectacular start to the new campaign.
Jakirovic made four changes to the side that won at Birmingham City on Saturday, with two of those enforced through injury. McBurnie was absent with a knee injury, which is likely to keep him sidelined for the next few games, while Lewie Coyle was only fit enough to be on the bench. John Egan was rested and joined David Akintola on the bench. Liam Millar was handed a first start since damaging his ACL two days shy of exactly 12 months ago. Matt Crooks came in, and so did Cody Drameh, while Semi Ajayi started in place of Egan, who was rested.
City were in front when Gelhardt's cross was expertly dummied by Crooks for the onrushing Millar to calmly curl into the top corner from the middle of the box. A wonderful finish on his return, and in truth, he carved out two good openings just before that with Slater seeing a close-range effort turned onto his post by Foxes stopper Jakub Stolarczyk.
Millar thumped over before Leicester carved out their first opening after 14 minutes when Luke Thomas' cross from the left was met by the returning Jordan Ayew to guide wide from 10 yards out.
The home side were purring and playing some lovely football, and should have been further ahead. Millar's sublime cross was fumbled by Joseph who later skied a chance when through inside right, but they did get their rewards just after the half-hour when Giles' cross through the box found Gelhardt to power in at the back post.
Before the break, the Foxes offered a rare attack when the lively Abdul Fatawu curled an effort which Pandur needed to beat away but anything other than a commanding lead would have been harsh on the Tigers, who were superb in an impressive first period.
So frustrated were the away fans, they were chanting 'Marti sort it out' to boss Cifuntes, a mark of just how well the Tigers had played, and that was before the second goal went in.
The Foxes sent on Jeremy Monga and Aaron Ramsey in place of Daka and James, with the second half delayed due to an issue with the North Stand netting, and City had to weather a storm early on.
A rare City break saw Gelhardt go down inside the box and he was booked for what the referee felt was a dive. CIty were forced into their first change when Giles was unable to continue, and he was replaced by Akin Famewo just shy of the hour.
Ramsey dragged the visitors back into it with just over 20 minutes to go with a clever chip over Pandur from distance after good work from Jordan Ayew outside the box, and it continued to be one-way traffic. In a bid to get City some fresh legs, on came Enis Destan and Darko Gyabi for Joseph and Hadziahmetovic with 20 minutes to go. Both had ran themselves into the ground.
As time ticked slowly down, John Egan and Joel Ndala were thrown on for Slater and Gelhardt, both of whom had put in a real shift. Into seven minutes added on, Winks crashed an effort off the bar and away to safety, and that was that. Job done again and City move above Leicester in the table.
Hull City (4-3-2-1): Pandur, Giles (Famewo 58), Ajayi, Hughes (c), Drameh, Amir, Regan, Millar, Crooks, Gelhardt, Joseph. Subs: Phillips, Coyle, Akintola, Egan, Ndala, Famewo, Gyabi, Destan, McCarthy.
Leicester City (4-3-3): Stolarczyk; Choudhury ( Carranza 76) , Faes, Vestergaard, L Thomas (Okoli 76); Winks, Soumare, James (Ramsey 46); Fatawu, Daka (Monga 46), Ayew. Subs: Begovic, Ricardo, Kristiansen, Okoli, Skipp, Ramsey, Monga, S Thomas, Carranza.
Referee: Matthew Donohue
Man of the Match: Liam Millar
Attendance: 20,211 (around 1,500 from Leicester)
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