TEAM NEWS
Hull manager Steve Bruce is hoping a sickness bug that has affected nine of his players will not prevent any of them from facing Chelsea.
Paul McShane is out for up to four weeks with an ankle injury sustained against Middlesbrough last weekend.
Chelsea will again be without midfielder Frank Lampard and defender Branislav Ivanovic, with the pair both likely to be absent for a month.
Lampard has a muscle injury, while Ivanovic has a knee problem.
MATCH PREVIEW
Those of us who saw Hull at Chelsea on the opening weekend of the season can't be too surprised by their current position in the top half of the Premier League.
Yes, they were beaten 2-0, but the second-half performance of Steve Bruce's side showed they had enough about them to compete at the top level - something they've more than adequately done since then.
The introduction of Tom Huddlestone and Jake Livermore for their debuts as substitutes made a real difference on day one, and you could tell they'd go on to be key players for the Tigers this season.
Huddlestone's dominant display in the last game at the KC Stadium (the 6-0 win versus Fulham) prompted a debate as to whether he could make the England squad for the World Cup. The first step would be a call-up to play Denmark at the start of March and I hope he gets that chance to impress.
His command and easy use of the ball might be just what Roy Hodgson needs in the summer.
Bar Petr Cech and John Terry, it's more probable than possible that all the rest of Chelsea's team for this game will be present in Brazil - but will they be going as Premier League champions?
Unbeaten in five league games, the old Jose Mourinho ruthlessness appears to have come back into their make-up, and I'd now have them inching ahead of Arsenal as chief challengers to Manchester City.
You'd think that winning a game such as this one is imperative to that aim, but only drawing 1-1 on their last visit four years ago didn't stop Chelsea claiming the title that season.
One final note in numbers to make of what you will. If he plays, this will be Fernando Torres' 200th appearance in the Premier League. His record: 102 Liverpool games, 65 goals; 97 Chelsea games, 18 goals. What was that about lies, damned lies and statistics?
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
Hull have only beaten Chelsea on four occasions, latterly in Division Two in October 1988.
Chelsea are unbeaten in their last six games against the Tigers, five of which have been in the Premier League era.
Hull City
The Tigers have won just one of their last seven games in the Premier League (W1, D3, L3).
Hull have conceded the joint-fewest home league goals (six), along with Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool.
City have only faced one of the current top four - Liverpool - at home, winning 3-1 in December.
All six of Hull's clean sheets have come at the KC Stadium.
Chelsea
The Blues have picked up 14 points from losing positions - winning four and drawing two games.
Jose Mourinho's side have won four of the last five league games.
Chelsea's defensive record of 19 goals conceded is bettered only by Arsenal (18).
Petr Cech's next clean sheet will be a club record 209th in all competitions. Cech currently has 208 from 457 games; Peter Bonetti managed 208 in 729 games.
Gary Cahill could make his 50th Premier League appearance for Chelsea.
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