Hull City 1-4 Middlesbrough: Post-match review, Stats, Key moments

Dive into Coral’s post-match review of Hull City 1-4 Middlesbrough in the Championship on Friday, 05 December 2025, with stats, key moments and our take on the match.

Middlesbrough cruised to a convincing 4-1 victory over Hull City at the MKM Stadium. The visitors got off to a flying start when David Strelec opened the scoring in the 9th minute, assisted by Morgan Whittaker, setting the tone for a dominant first half. Alex Gilbert doubled the lead in the 32nd minute with an assist from Tommy Conway, before Morgan Whittaker made it three just three minutes later, thanks to Alex Gilbert’s setup, and Riley McGree added a fourth in the 44th minute off an Alex Bangura assist, leaving Hull shell-shocked going into the break. Coming off a mixed run with wins against Stoke and Portsmouth but losses to Ipswich and QPR, Hull struggled to find their rhythm early on.

Hull City pulled one back in the second half through Joe Gelhardt’s penalty in the 62nd minute, but it wasn’t enough to spark a comeback. The Tigers made some changes at half-time, with Mohamed Belloumi and Charlie Hughes coming on for Kyle Joseph and Amir Hadziahmetovic, and later substitutions like Liam Millar for Enis Destan, but Middlesbrough held firm. Boro, who arrived on the back of a win over Derby and a draw with Oxford after a loss to Coventry, looked sharp and clinical, boosting their confidence with this away win.

Middlesbrough edged possession with 55% compared to Hull’s 45%, which helped them control the tempo and create more opportunities, as shown by their five corners against Hull’s two. Hull managed more successful dribbles at 47 to Boro’s 33, suggesting they tried to break through individually but couldn’t convert that into real threats, while Middlesbrough’s four assists highlighted their better teamwork in attack. On the discipline side, Hull picked up one yellow card and took a penalty, but no reds for either team, and both sides used all five substitutions – like Hull bringing on Mohamed Belloumi for Kyle Joseph at 46 minutes – without any injury-time goals shifting the balance.

The game turned early when David Strelec fired Middlesbrough ahead in the 9th minute, assisted by Morgan Whittaker, and they built on that with Alex Gilbert’s goal in the 32nd, set up by Tommy Conway, followed quickly by Morgan Whittaker’s strike in the 35th from Alex Gilbert’s pass. Riley McGree’s effort just before half-time in the 44th, assisted by Alex Bangura, effectively sealed the win for Boro. Hull’s response came via Joe Gelhardt’s penalty in the 62nd after Regan Slater’s yellow card earlier, but substitutions like Liam Millar replacing Enis Destan in the 65th and later changes couldn’t turn the tide.

Hull City lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, focusing on a solid midfield base to support their attack, with players like Joe Gelhardt stepping up to score from the spot and Regan Slater involved before his yellow card. Partnerships in the forward areas aimed to create chances, but they struggled against Middlesbrough’s pressure. Substitutes such as Mohamed Belloumi, who replaced Kyle Joseph at half-time, and Liam Millar, who came on for Enis Destan, added fresh legs in the second half.

Middlesbrough set up in a 4-4-2 shape, allowing strong attacking partnerships like Morgan Whittaker and David Strelec to shine early on, with Whittaker assisting and scoring. The midfield provided good service, as seen with Riley McGree’s goal and Alex Gilbert’s contributions in both scoring and assisting. Changes like Sam Silvera replacing Tommy Conway at 68 minutes and Sverre Nypan coming on for Morgan Whittaker later helped maintain their lead.

Coral’s Man of the Match goes to Morgan Whittaker, who was outstanding for Middlesbrough with his goal, assist, creation of a big chance, and two key passes that really drove their attack forward.

Recent Championship matches:

• Loss: 1-4 vs Middlesbrough (H)
• Win: 2-1 vs Stoke City (A)
• Loss: 0-2 vs Ipswich Town (H)
• Loss: 2-3 vs Queens Park Rangers (A)
• Win: 3-2 vs Portsmouth (H)

Recent Championship matches:

• Win: 4-1 vs Hull City (A)
• Win: 2-1 vs Derby County (H)
• Loss: 2-4 vs Coventry City (H)
• Draw: 1-1 vs Oxford United (A)
• Win: 2-1 vs Birmingham City (H)

Hull City have just suffered a 1-4 home defeat to Middlesbrough, leaving them in 9th place on 28 points after a patchy run that includes a win over Stoke but losses to Ipswich and QPR. They’ll look to bounce back in their next match against Wrexham on 2025-12-10 at 20:00, with the visitors sitting 12th on 27 points, making it a chance for Hull to climb the table and close the gap on the top spots.

Middlesbrough have just secured a strong 4-1 away win over Hull City, keeping them in 2nd place on 36 points following recent results like a victory against Derby and a draw with Oxford. Their next fixture is at home to Charlton Athletic on 2025-12-09 at 19:45, with Charlton in 17th on 23 points, offering Boro a good opportunity to extend their push for the top and build on this momentum.

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