Hull v Sunderland

1. Poyet and Bruce involved in scuffle
2. Sunderland boss Poyet sent off from touchline
3. N'Doye with neat finish from Huddlestone cross
4. Hull 15th, Sunderland 16th in table

FULL-TIME

And that is that. The final whistle goes. Honours even but maybe Hull, with Dame N'Doye, had the better chances.

Head over to our main Premier League live page for manager reaction, and much, much more.

...but Patrick Robertson fires wide from outside the box.

Poyet is on his way down...

Seconds after I write that van Aanholt slices way, way wide when he had no right to shoot. Hull now build...

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Not only going forward, but in defence too Patrick van Aanholt has looked very good since coming on. He tidies up at the back, and fellow sub Ricardo Alvarez teases the Hull right-back.

There are FIVE minutes added on. Next goal wins.

CLOSE!

Jack Rodwell again! A huge chance to win it for Sunderland. Another great run by van Aanholt, it's on a plate for Rodwell, but he volleys over. Two minutes to go!

Free-kick to Hull in a wide position on the left as the home side work the ball into Sunderland's final third.

Ricardo Alvarez goes in the book for not going back the whole way. The home fans are restless - they'd been leading for so long - and the set-piece is a poor one, too high for Paul McShane.

Sunderland seem to be coming back into this. Patrick van Aanholt and Ricardo Alvarez have given the team a much needed lift.

Maybe the view from up high helped old Gus in the end?

CLOSE!

Dame N'Doye misses a golden opportunity to put his side back in front. Costel Panitlimon denies his close-range header, and celebrates likes he's stopped a penno. Superb fist-pump.

YELLOW CARD

A yellow apiece. Seb Larsson for the challenge, Andrew Robertson for the reaction.

GOAL

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Jack Rodwell made it absolutely sure, but it could well have been Patrick van Aaanholt's goal. And he'd just come on!

Van Aanholt beats his man with a lovely chest-down, crosses over McGregor, and Rodwell nods in, via his arm. A shout for handball there, but Sunderland are back with it.

CLOSE!

Jake Livermore ends a lovely sweeping Hull move by firing tamely at Costel Pantilimon. Could that miss be costly?

Jermain Defoe blasts one straight down the throat of Hull's 'keeper.

SUBSTITUTION

Also a change for the visitors as Connor Wickham and Patrick van Aanholt replace Santiago Vergini and Danny Graham.

SUBSTITUTION

Nikica Jelavic gets a deserved ovation from the home support, with Abel Hernandez coming on in his place.

CLOSE!

A lovely, teasing cross from Jake Livermore doesn't find the man it deserves, but Andrew Robertson, looking for his first goal for Hull, comes closer. His curled strike looked great until it sailed a few yards over the top corner of Sunderland's goal. Chances aplenty for both sides here.

CLOSE!

It's that man again! Dame N'Doye starts a move in his own half, laying it out wide to Ahmed Elmohamady, but cannot convert the cross and heads behind. Great moustache, but poor finish.

CLOSE!

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Jack Rodwell! Had you forgotten about him? He almost gave you very good reason to remember with a fierce shot from outside the box. Allan McGregor had to be alert, and made the shot look tamer than it was as he gathered.

SUBSTITUTION

For Sunderland, Ricardo Alvarez comes on for the booked Lee Cattermole.

YELLOW CARD

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It's kicking off again here. Lee Cattermole is involved and he goes in the book for a cynical challenge on David Meyler. Former team-mates, though you'd never know it. For a moment one or several too many players get involved in the 'discussion', but tempers are cooled.

CLOSE!

Could we have put that down to Poyet? John O'Shea flashes a header just wide from a corner!

And down the other end Dame N'Doye forgets how to play football for a vital second, shanking a shot way, and I mean way, over the bar when well-placed in the box. Hull opened them up on the counter there. Double close!

Sunderland's passing has been woeful. The latest 'effort' is from Liam Bridcutt, who has the chance to slice Hull open on the break with a ball over the top for Jermain Defoe, but it's skewed horribly wrong. Defoe is not a happy man.

Poyet's got his radio working now. He's in communication with the Sunderland bench.

PENALTY APPEAL

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A smattering of Hull fans behind this shout, only the optimistic. The ball bounces up and hits Santiago Vergini on the hand, but there was no way he meant it. Ref waves it away, as Hull continue to press.

Still Hull with the better of all this. For whatever reason, Sunderland still haven't really come into their own, despite starting the game well.

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Gus Poyet, by the way, has found more comfortable accommodation for the second half. Looks like he's amongst the directors now.

CLOSE!

John O'Shea clears the ball, technically off the line, but it's comfortable really. The thing of it is that Nikica Jelavic was lurking, and if Dame N'Doye could have provided a better cut-back, we would be saying 2-0, because Allan McGregor was committed.

YELLOW CARD

Mike Dean with work to do straight away! Liam Bridcutt stretches for the ball and gets his name in the book for what could have been a nasty challenge. Nikica Jelavic is back up after a few rolls on the ground.

KICK-OFF

Back under way.

The players are back out and Dame N'Doye is rubbing his hands together. Steve Bruce must have fired him up. And what a moustache he's got by the way.

In other news, boxing promoter Eddie Hearn is in town, presumably to check out the local aquari.. sorry, 'submarium'?

I think we all need a moment to just calm down, not just Messrs Poyet and Bruce, and what better place to go take a breather? Maybe a bit too far for a 15-minute round trip though. But then again, the quality of half-time insight could be exceptional...

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Hull are ahead through Dame N'Doye but really the talking point is all about Gus Poyet's, shall we say 'moment'?

He really lost his temper back there after Jack Rodwell was booked for diving. Replays suggest referee Mike Dean was right to book the Sunderland man, and it might even have been outside of the box too.

HALF-TIME

INJURY TIME

Three minutes seems a little bit short if anything, but the players are certainly in no rush to decide anything before the break. Poyet makes his down way from the stands before the whistle blows.

INJURY TIME

Three is the number of minutes added on.

If Sunderland concede another goal before half-time you feel Gus Poyet might explode. Hull work a corner that has to be dealt with twice by the Sunderland defence - Costel Pantilimon gathers the recycled cross and the can all breathe a sigh of relief, for now.

YELLOW CARD

Tempers are still simmering though and a nasty challenge from Paul McShane right through the back of Jermain Defoe sees him go into the book. Poyet is up in the stands.

What a lively few minutes for the the referee there! All dealt with and we're back under way.

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In fact Poyet is so unhappy that he has kicked a water bottle! He's been sent off! And then he goes over to have a word with Steve Bruce!

Whatever Poyet said Bruce did not like it - he puffs himself up, and with arms whirling out of his puffer jacket, is held back from going after Poyet, who is on his way to the stands. Bruce seems to have got away with it and is still down there.

YELLOW CARD

Jack Rodwell thinks it's a penalty - just look at the flailing arms - but the referee is having none of it. So little in fact that he books the Sunderland midfielder. Rodwell was through on goal.

Sunderland have got to pick it up, because Gus Poyet's not going to be a happy man.

Jake Livermore is next to beat Anthony Reveillere for pace - he makes it look easy - but another ball that falls down! This time it's just behind Nikica Jelavic, who could see his name in lights as he mentally hammered home a cut-back.

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Ahmed Elmohamady looks to have the beating of Anthony Reveillere down the Hull right but twice now his final ball's been poor. I'm reminded of that Maradaona-esque handball he 'scored against Newcastle not so long ago. And also of his promotion-celebrating dance...

More poor service for Sunderland's Jermain Defoe as Seb Larsson over hits one straight into the hands of Allan McGregor. They started well but that's not cutting it.

End-to-end 'oh-so-nearlys'.

It's called back for offside but Nikica Jelavic battles his way into the box after combining with Dame N'Doye and his shot his blocked by the onrushing Costel Pantilimon. Very, very little in that one.

Not really a chance but it should have been. Danny Graham's low cross is curled just too much to meet Jermain Defoe's run into the box. They got their wires crossed there actually - Defoe dropped his man on the penalty spot by stopping his run, and Graham didn't read it.

Lynne Cameron/PA Wire

Hull are looking well on course for a third consecutive home win here. After a good start to the game Sunderland have faded a little. Jermain Defoe has a shot from the the edge of the box, but it's comfortably wide. Disappointing contact on the ball.

A corner to Hull after more pressure and Tom Huddlestone is the man to take it. He sends it deep and from Michel Dawson's header the ball falls to Paul McShane. It's bouncing but he hits it - it could be - but Jack Rodwell puts his body on the line. Great block.

And Hull are straight back at the away side - they've really been buoyed by that goal. Andrew Robertson has a chance to test Costel Pantillimon cutting in from the left, but his shot is tame and easily gathered. Hull go again.

GOAL

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With Elmohamady on his feet but off the pitch Tom Huddlestone sends a low ball into the box and Dame N'Doye gets a decisive steer on the ball. First shot on target, first goal. That should liven things up very nicely.

YELLOW CARD

Not much going on here to be honest but Wes Brown goes into the book for a clumsy lunge at Ahmed Elmohamady on the edge of the box. The Hull man's still on the ground, and though Brown got the ball first, the follow through was very nasty.

The referee was right on the spot though. Somebody should probably try and score soon. Nikica Jelavic's wayward shot is still the only attempt on goal. Free-kick to come.

Danny Graham. I remember him coming up at Middlesbrough when they were still in the Premier League. Will he be able to replicate the killer touch he showed at Watford and at Swansea?

Jermain Defoe is looking the livelier of the pair up front for Sunderland tonight though. The former Spurs man is darting along the turf in his own inimitable style.

Nikica Jelavic was played in by a very quickly-taken free-kick there. Clever from Hull, but Sunderland have looked the better side so far. They're looking pretty assured in possession.

Wasteful from Nikica Jelavic. Granted he's been out a while but he had acres of space on the edge of the box there, and his shot flew high and wide of the Sunderland goal. Where was the Black Cats' back-line?

Now it's Michael Dawson with a bit of work to do - he clears a cross from the Sunderland right, just ahead of Jermain Defoe. Ahmed Elmohamady then speeds up the pitch on the break, as Hull enjoy their first spell of possession in the opposition half.

Paul McShane, making his 10th appearance of the season, does a little housekeeping at the back, tidying up a long ball into the channel. He's still going strong.

KICK-OFF

We are under way at the KC Stadium. I was in Hull not so long ago and I have to say the aquarium is pretty good. I got told off for calling it an aquarium though.

'Submarium' if you were wondering. I wasn't sure if it was actually a word, but apparently it is.

"Fresh and raring to go"

Hull City

Hull manager Steve Bruce: "One thing you cannot do [with injured players] is take a risk, and if we had then Nikica Jelavic and Dame N'Doye could have missed four to six weeks more. They are fresh and raring to go and the last time they came here they both scored, so let's hope they can repeat that. It's a big game. If we can win it, we can go seven points clear of the relegation zone, with 10 games to play."

A normal game Gus? On first glance this one really should be a seven-goal thriller, but with so much at stake it could swing to the totally opposite pole, with the players freezing up. Let's hope for the former.

"Strength and experience"

Sunderland

Sunderland manager Gus Poyet:"We need strength and experience, it's a massive game and we need to compete. The players starting the game are the best ones for that. It is a big game. We were so close to putting together a run of winning games, but we have put ourselves in this situation.

"Now we need to go somewhere to win a few points that we lost at home. "We cannot play thinking about not to lose, because for 45 minutes against Manchester United we were good and then we dropped too much. Always something happens against Hull, so I am looking forward to a normal game."

"A horrible dogfight"

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Hull boss Steve Bruce has said his team is in "a horrible dogfight" at the bottom of the table, and that was before Saturday's 1-0 defeat away to Stoke - a match in which they managed only one shot at goal. But tonight they are going for what would be a third consecutive home win.

Sunderland, meanwhile, have endured a turbulent beginning to the week, with the club suspending 27-year-old winger Adam Johnson, who was arrested on Monday.

As the club's focus returns to matters on the pitch, and with the team without a win in four matches, there are three very valuable points at stake at the KC Stadium tonight.

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Team News

Good evening everyone. Let's get straight into the team news.

Reuters

Hull bring defender Andrew Robertson and strikers Nikica Jelavic and Dame N'Doye back into the side, with Sone Aluko, Gaston Ramirez and Maynor Figueroa dropping out.

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Sunderland midfielder Jack Rodwell returns to the starting line-up for the first time since January, while Ricky Alvarez returns after missing Saturday's game with Manchester United, and Danny Graham starts up front ahead of Connor Wickham. Wes Brown starts after his weekend red card was rescinded.

Hull XI: McGregor, Dawson, Bruce, McShane, Elmohamady, Robertson, Huddlestone, Livermore, Meyler, Jelavic, N'Doye.

Sunderland XI: Pantilimon, Reveillere, Vergini, Brown, O'Shea, Cattermole, Bridcutt, Rodwell, Larsson, Defoe, Graham.