Hull City

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Hull City boss Ruben Selles understands the concerns of supporters but says he cannot get caught up in the reaction to defeats.

Tigers fans were particularly critical after their 1-0 defeat by Watford in the Championship on Tuesday left them only two points above the relegation zone with five games remaining.

"I understand the fans concerns in terms of the position we are in and the time of season it is," Selles told BBC Radio Humberside.

"It's not my job to be concerned about that, my job is to make this team competitive and try to compete every game which is the only way we can win football matches."

The former Reading head coach replaced Tim Walter at the MKM Stadium in December and has overseen eight wins from 23 league games.

"I have not seen my team be outplayed by anybody - we have played some decent games and we will continue working" said Selles.

"We need to keep working on the things we do and give the boys more solutions, especially in the final third - we know the points where we need to be better but it's not a magic formula."

Hull City meet Coventry City in the Championship on Monday 14 April.

Just one win from their past four games has seen Hull City drop back into trouble in the Championship.

Coventry City have won seven of their past 10 league games but have lost two of their past three outings.

• Hull have lost just one of their past six league games against Coventry (W3 D2), though that sole defeat did come in the reverse fixture back in December (2-1).

• Coventry will be looking to record a first league double against Hull since the 2006-07 campaign.

• Hull have picked up fewer points at home in the Championship this season than any other side (19), losing nine of their 20 home league matches (W4 D7).

• Coventry have lost both of their past two away league games, last losing three on the spin in November 2023.

• Hull have lost 11 of their past 16 league games played on a Monday (W3 D2). Meanwhile, Coventry have only won one of their past 18 away league games on this day of the week (D4 L13), although that was their most recent at Middlesbrough on New Year's Day 2024 (3-1).

Hull City midfielder Regan Slater says he is unsure why his side have been unable to produce a consistent run of good results this season.

Speaking after the Tigers' 1-0 defeat at Watford on Tuesday, the 25-year-old midfielder he was disappointed his team were unable to continue on from their impressive showing in the stoppage-time victory at Sheffield Wednesday at the weekend.

"We lacked a little bit of quality in the final third. It's something we've struggled with all season really," Slater told BBC Radio Humberside.

"I don't think there was much in the game at all, to be honest with you. I think its disappointing not to come away with a point."

Slater has been a mainstay in the City midfield this season, starting 32 Championship matches and being left on the bench only once.

"When we do go and get a result, we struggle to go and back that up," he added.

"We need to stick together, we need to improve in the final third, but I think we've got enough characters in this changing room to keep us out the bottom three."

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Hull City manager Ruben Selles has said his team are as competitive as any team in the league, after defeat to Watford kept them perilously close to the relegation zone.

The Tigers offered little in attack at Vicarage Road, leaving them two points above Cardiff in 21st place with five games to play.

"We were competitive enough, the game was won in one action, they had a little bit more quality into the final third," Selles told BBC Radio Humberside.

"We gave up pressure too easily for their goal, and we defended out of structure. We can do much better tracking the runner."

Selles was asked about Hull's final five games, and whether they are playing well enough to get over the line.

"We have got a lot of good situations in the last few months," he added, with Hull hosting Coventry next Monday. "We didn't get the results today, but we have not been inconsistent. The league is very competitive.

"The players are dealing with [the relegation battle] as well as they can do it. I do not see a team, or a player, that cannot deal with this situation."

Hull City travel to Watford on Tuesday (19:45 BST) in the hopes of putting more distance between themselves and the relegation zone.

The Tigers are undefeated across five of their past six league matches (W3 D2) to boost into 19th place on the table, but still remain just three points ahead of 22nd placed Cardiff City.

Meanwhile, Watford's form is the opposite. They've only won one of their past six (D2 L3) and now find themselves seven points outside the play-off spots.

• Both of the last two league matches between Watford and Hull City have been drawn, but these sides have never shared the points three times in a row before.

• Hull are unbeaten in their last five away games at Watford in the Championship (W2 D3) since a 1-0 defeat in the 2007-08 season.

• Watford have kept eight home clean sheets in the Championship this season; in the 21st century, only in 2013-14 (9), 2020-21 (14), and 2022-23 (10) have they recorded more home clean sheets in a league campaign.

• Hull have lost each of their last four midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) away league outings, this after winning six such games in a row beforehand.

• Watford have lost seven of their last nine Championship games played on a Tuesday (W1 D1), including both of their last two in a row.

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Hull City head coach Ruben Selles said it was important his side fought until the end in their 1-0 win at Sheffield Wednesday.

Charlie Hughes' stoppage-time winner secured a vital three points in the Tigers' battle against relegation, lifting them up to 19th in the table.

Selles lauded his players and added that they know the pain of losing by tight margins late in games.

"We knew we would need to stay in the game if we wanted to get chances, and at the end the boys got that header and three points," he told BBC Radio Humberside.

"We've been on the other side, where you lose the game in the final action, and today was a really good feeling."

Selles also claimed the result shows how tough the Championship is to compete in.

"In a Championship game it's really difficult to read the opponent, especially away from home, but you need to manage to stay in the game and when there are good moments to score and you don't, you have to manage not to concede," he added.

"Every game since I have been here was decided by one action - a 1-0 or a 2-1 situation, and you have to fight for that to go to your side."

Hull City visit Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday (15:00 BST) as the look to avoid dropping into the bottom three.

The Tigers are only one point above the relegation line and were the only side in the bottom five not to have picked up points last time out after suffering a defeat to Luton.

But with financial problems plaguing the hosts this week, it would be doubly damaging if the Owls were to see their struggling Yorkshire rivals put a further dent into their dwindling dreams of promotion.

• Sheffield Wednesday are looking to complete their first league double over Hull City since beating them twice in 1990-91 under Ron Atkinson.

• Hull lost 3-1 at Hillsborough last season but haven't suffered consecutive league defeats away at Sheffield Wednesday since August 1972.

• Sheffield Wednesday have lost each of their last three home league matches, losing each game by a one-goal margin. The Owls haven't lost four in a row at home since December 2012.

• Hull won 3-0 away at Sheffield United earlier this campaign but have never previously won away at both Sheffield clubs in a league season. The last side to beat both by three or more goals away from home in one season was Huddersfield Town in 1953-54 (6-3 at United, 4-1 at Wednesday).

• Sheffield Wednesday's Barry Bannan has four assists in his last 10 Championship appearances and since 2015-16, only Jed Wallace (56) and John Swift (48) have more assists in the competition than the Scotsman (44).

Hull City boss Ruben Selles says the relegation battle is "in their hands" despite fellow strugglers Luton Town and Derby County both beginning to find form.

Luton are unbeaten in three league games (W2 D1), whilst Derby have four straight wins.

The Tigers, on the other hand, saw their undefeated run of four games (W2 D2) come to an end with a loss to the Hatters last time out.

"We always say that we don't need to have an eye on the other ones, we need to do our jobs. Obviously when we don't win our game, it becomes more speculation about what the others do and the other ones are winning," Selles told BBC Radio Humberside.

"Luton beat us. Derby have won four in a row, which is unbelievable for a team in that place.

"We are still in the position where we control our own future and that's the mentality we need to keep working with. Again, we are in the same position where it depends on us."

However, with Hull only one point above the drop zone and a difficult trip to Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday, the Spaniard is determined not to get caught up in outside noise.

"Everything is relative. It's not the pressure," Selles added. "If we had won the last couple of matches, we'd be in a different situation.

"We know we've been competitive every single game and we need to keep trying to be that competitive, and try to keep pushing forward and try to not speculate."

Listen to the full pre-match press conference on BBC Sounds.

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Hull City head coach Ruben Selles was left frustrated by the manner of his side's home loss to Luton Town.

Alfie Jones' freak own goal 11 seconds into the second half decided the match, but it was the Tigers' limp reaction to that moment of bad luck which caused the Spaniard such disappointment.

"You can lose matches, that can happen. I'm more disappointed in our reaction after going 1-0 down," he told BBC Radio Humberside.

"The goal was an action we can avoid, but it took us more than 30 minutes to react and start to build up the pitch and put them under pressure.

"We lost a little bit of our identity in these moments. I'm disappointed because I expect my team to come back quicker and put the opposition on the back foot and under pressure a bit more."

The result now leaves Hull in 20th and only three points clear of the drop zone with seven matches to play.

Luton Town make the trip to fellow strugglers Hull City on Saturday lunch time (12:30 GMT) as they look for much needed points.

The Hatters currently reside in the relegation zone, four points away from safety and with only bottom dwellers Plymouth Argyle with a lower goal difference.

All three points will prove mighty beneficial to Luton, but they will need to defeat a Tigers side that have not lost any of their past four league games (W2 D2) and looking to clear away from the threat of relegation themselves.

• Hull City are winless across their prior six league games against Luton Town (D1 L5), scoring just one goal in total across that time.

• Luton Town are unbeaten across their last five away league games against Hull City (W4 D1), keeping four clean sheets in the process.

• Hull are unbeaten across their last four league games (W2 D2), the Tigers' longest streak since a six-game spell in April 2024.

• Luton have won two of their last four league games (D1 L1), as many victories as across their prior 18 matches combined (D4 L12).

• Luton's Carlton Morris has won more aerial duels than any other player in the Championship this season (177), though has also lost more aerial duels than any other player in the competition too (171).

Hull City defender Cody Drameh has returned to training as the Tigers prepare to host fellow relegation-threatened rivals Luton Town in Saturday's early kick-off (12:30 GMT).

Drameh has missed the past two league games with a knee injury but is expected to return for the weekend.

As is the case for midfielder Kasey Palmer, who was unable to travel with Jamaica during international break due to an ankle issue.

"It wasn't anything major but we decided with the support of the Jamaican federation to keep him out of that call and give him the week to be able to train," Selles told BBC Radio Humberside.

"He's good for this weekend."

The international break has not just been beneficial for Palmer, Selles believes that the week away from the Championship has revitalised his squad.

"They have been looking really fresh, really well," Selles added. "They got what they needed from that period away from us.

"That period off the pitch or off from the usual dynamic, gives them the perception of being more fresh, wanting train and do more things."

Listen to the full pre-match press conference on BBC Sounds.

Image source, Rex Features

Hull City midfielder Kasey Palmer said he is relieved to be back playing and contributing to the Tiger's battle to avoid relegation from the Championship.

The 28-year-old was credited with an assist for Abu Kamara's goal in their 1-1 draw at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, having returned to Ruben Selles' team at the start of the month after recovering from an ankle injury picked up in December.

"It was frustrating to pick up the injury in just the manager's second or third game, and missing two or three months wasn't easy, especially with where the team was in the league," Palmer told BBC Radio Humberside.

'"I'm just buzzing to be back and to be able to contribute with us getting points and to get us to safety."

The Jamaican international joined Hull from Coventry City for an undisclosed fee in August, and said that having taken seven points from their past three games, a break for the internationals fixtures is not ideal.

"It's probably a bad time for us to be having a break with the results we are picking-up lately, but I think everyone needs a break, although the manager will be on us to make sure we're not coasting.

"He's rejuvenated us and the results are starting to come. The group has really come together and it's going to be an interesting end to the season. Hopefully, we can look up rather than down."

Hull City, who are currently 19th and three points above the relegation zone, are next in action on 29 March when they host fellow strugglers Luton Town.

Image source, Rex Features

Hull City boss Ruben Selles spoke to BBC Radio Humberside after his side's 1-1 draw at West Bromwich Albion.

"West Brom are a really good team and a really tough opponent and I think we were as competitive as them today.

"They were more in control in the first half and we were suffering in some defensive moments but we came back in the second half even though we conceded a goal and we ended the game creating chances.

"I think it was a fair point. We could have lost it but we could have won it. We'll take the point and move forward.

"The substitutions gave us something different. The squad wants to work together and everyone is giving everything."