Hull preview

Back on home turf, and welcoming the side who went into meltdown following (or during if you are Phil Brown) a heavy defeat in the corresponding fixture in 2008/09.

A first half shellacking resulted in the bizarre sight of Brown conducting his team talk on the pitch, a move that endeared him to virtually no-one in the game and hardly resulted in galvanising his side into action either in that fixture or the remainder of the season as they dropped like a stone down the table, barely surviving the drop back to the Championship in the process.

The draw last weekend at Anfield was a classic case of the 'half full, half empty' argument. Many view it is a good point won at a difficult place to visit. Equally, however, many view it as two points dropped from a position of strength (taking the lead with fifteen or so minutes remaining).

This has of course led to grumblings in the press about a disappointing lack of ambition being shown; that top four ambitions are some way off for the rich pretenders.

Perhaps there is a nerviness in our play at the moment though. This could make matters difficult tomorrow. Very much like the last visitors to Eastlands - Burnley - Hull travel with a woeful away record. One point gained, four goals scored and seventeen conceded in their five away matches.

This does not tell the full story though. Since new Chairman Adam Pearson arrived with a less than confidence boosting endorsement of Phil Brown, Hull have taken seven points from nine (including a win in midweek against Everton), showing a hitherto unseen spirit. This of course coincided with the return of the infectious Jimmy Bullard, a talented and energetic spark who spent the best part of 2009 sidelined through injury.

We should win the game of course. Our attacking potency being too much for a porous defence but given our propensity for losing leads of late, even a winning position will likely not quieten nerves in the stands.

The significance of the result is also magnified given the weeks other fixtures - a midweek Carling Cup quarter-final against Arsenal and then followed by a visit from Chelsea, who are looking every bit the title favourites.

I wouldn't suggest confidence in the side has been dented by recent results, but there is no doubt the restoring powers a good win can provide. Hull have the capabilities to cause problems for us but I would be surprised if we didn't run out comfortable victors.

Still no clean sheet though in a 3-1 win.