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Stunned Man Utd & unbeaten in 3: Why Xabi Alonso expects a tough battle against Hull
12th September, 2026 03:18 PM
Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso believes their Premier League matchday four opponents, Hull City, present a massive challenge for his Blues side.
The two teams face off this Saturday, September 12, 2026, with the Chelsea boss seeking to inflict a first defeat on the newly promoted side. This comes a week after Chelsea saw their unbeaten start to the season ended by champions Arsenal in a thrilling 2–1 loss at the Emirates.
Inform Hull City
Alonso remains wary of the test ahead against a side that has gone unbeaten through their opening three league games. The in-form Tigers stunned Manchester United 2-0 in their dream opener to the 2026/27 Premier League campaign before building on the performance with victory against Coventry. City.
Their third game saw them hold Aston Villa, with Sergej Jakirović’s team picking up seven points so far and standing as the only Premier League side yet to concede a goal.
Threat from the Tigers
Reflecting in his pre-match press conference, Alonso noted the threat posed by the Tigers:
“We face tomorrow’s game with the same respect we did last week against Arsenal. They have seven points, no goals conceded. They will be hard to beat. They have their weapons as well, with transitions and set pieces. They have the belief that the coach is doing a great job. So it is going to be hard, and we will have to be at our best to beat them,” he stated.
The encounter follows a milestone personal achievement for lead striker João Pedro, who recently became the first Chelsea star to win the Premier League Player of the Month award since Cole Palmer and the first Blues striker to win it since Diego Costa in November 2016.
The Brazilian forward is expected to spearhead Chelsea’s attack at Stamford Bridge this afternoon, having been part of the sensational front three alongside Morgan Rogers and Palmer.
The Blues go into the meeting sitting fourth in the league, while Hull have emerged as one of the early surprises of the campaign. The Tigers are currently third.
