Mike Phelan Hull should boldly roll the dice for early festive cheer against Crystal Palace
Hull City could really do with some early festive cheer in their final home game before Christmas following their most dispirited performance of the season so far.
Welcoming Crystal Palace to the KCOM Stadium was always likely to be a significant fixture in the battle for Premier League survival, but Saturday's clash of 19th and 14th means so much more after the limp defeat at Middlesbrough on Monday.
City were not just beaten by opponents that accompanied them out of the Championship in May, they were subdued and lifeless. The 1-0 defeat at the Riverside could have been a 1-1 draw had Adama Diomande's shot not been pushed wide by goalkeeper Victor Valdes, but that the 517 travelling supporters were made to wait until stoppage time to see a shot on target told its own sorry story. A chance to dispel a nagging theory that Mike Phelan's side are headed straight back to the Championship ended instead with it being entrenched.
Even given the injury list inhibiting City at present, the defeat was alarming. Phelan's side were beaten without laying a glove on Middlesbrough, spurning the latest chance to escape the relegation zone.
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There have been plenty of those opportunities in recent weeks, but there is a danger that they will soon stop presenting themselves without a positive result -- and performance -- against Palace this weekend. A reaction in front of home supporters is an absolute must to turn the tide of belief in this ailing side.