Stoke come into this one with a spring in their step after that tidy 2-0 EFL Cup win over Oldham Athletic at the bet365 Stadium. Two goals, no reply, a clean sheet — exactly the kind of controlled performance Mark Robins will have wanted to build momentum. The Potters have been here before, though. Last season's campaign was derailed by a plague of injuries, and Robins has been shouting about the revamped medical department under Damian Roden. That tells you everything about the fragility lurking beneath the surface. But right now, with no reported absences, Stoke look as close to full strength as they've been in months.

Hull, on the other hand, are a mess. They've just been battered by Manchester United in their Premier League return — Michael Carrick's permanent reign starting with a concerning defeat, as the reports put it. That's a hangover waiting to happen. They've won their last three, sure, but those wins came against lesser opposition, and the step up in class against a physical Championship side at a hostile bet365 Stadium is a different beast entirely. The Tigers are also carrying a list of injuries — backup keeper and a forward who's been chipping in with goals are both out. That's not the profile of a team ready to grind out a cup upset on the road.