City are predicted to struggle

HULL City's challenge in the new Championship season has been backed up by the latest bookmakers' odds, with just under a week to go until the big kickoff.

- By BARRY COOPER

City have been slapped with a three-window fee restriction by the EFL, meaning they cannot pay a transfer or loan fee for any player. As a result of the sanction, they've missed out on a number of top targets. But despite the punishment, City have been able to bolster their ranks with a flurry of new arrivals.

After staying up on the final day of last season on goal difference, the bookies believe City will struggle again having so far failed to bolster their attacking ranks having finished the campaign as the lowest scorers.

According to Betfred, City are ranked at 11/4 to go down to League One, the same odds as Oxford United and Portsmouth, with a 26.7 per cent chance of suffering relegation.