By Eye of the Tiger
February 23 2009

Hull fans and players are in a buoyant mood after ending a run of 5 straight defeats with two draws against West Brom and Chelsea. Despite the renewed confidence and draws Hull still haven't won in the league since December . Tottenham themselves have found wins hard to come by with only 2 wins from their last 10 league games . Team News

Hull welcome back Ian Ashbee, Daniel Cousin, Caleb Folan and Anthony Gardner. Craig Fagan is out for 3 week after having knee surgery . George Boateng and Jimmy Bullard are long term absentees.

Tottenham trio Robbie Keane, Roman Pavlyuchenko and Vedran Corluka are back  after being cup-tied against Shakhtar Donetsk. Luka Modric, Jonathan Woodgate, Wilson Palacios, Aaron Lennon and Carlo Cudicini are also back in contention. Jermaine Defoe , Jamie O'Hara, Ledley King and Alan Hutton are all out .

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Manager Views

Phil Brown

"It's a massive game for us, but it's a massive game for Tottenham as well,"

"It will be all about who holds their nerve on the night. As far as we're concerned, our nerve will be emphasised by hard work.

"It won't be about fancy stuff, it will be an in their face mentality and a case of stopping Spurs from playing the kind of football that they can play.

"If we get that and if we get the kind of atmosphere at the KC Stadium that I know we can then it will make for a good night."

Harry Redknapp

“Forty points wouldn’t be a problem to stay up,” “You play the permutations around your head. Thirteen games left, five wins... it’s possible.

“Hull’s a massive game. United’s a massive game. Boro’s a massive game, then Sunderland. Shakhtar is a nightmare in between.”

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Hull are aiming to complete a first ever double over Tottenham, having won 0-1 at the Lane in October, with a deadly Geovanni free kick.

The last time Tottenham visited Hull they lost 2-0 at Boothferry Park on 4 October 1977 in the old Second Division. It was in Spurs' last season outside the top-flight.

Home and away
League (inc PL): Hull 6 wins, Spurs 5, Draws 4
Prem: Hull 1 win, Spurs 0, Draws 0

at Hull only
League (inc PL): Hull wins, Spurs , Draws
Prem: Hull 0 wins, Spurs 0, Draws 0

 

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Possible Starting Line-ups

Hull City: Duke, Ricketts, Turner, Zayatte, Dawson, Ashbee, Geovanni, Marney, Kilbane, Garcia, Cousin.

Tottenham: Cudicini, Corluka, Woodgate, Dawson, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon, Palacios, Jenas, Modric, Keane, Pavlyuchenko.

 

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REFEREE

Lee Probert (Gloucestershire)

Matches	Red	Yellow	Average
7	0	18	2.57

 

 

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PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue: KC Stadium Date: Monday, 23 February Kick-off: 2000 GMT
Coverage: BBC London 94.9 FM, BBC London DAB and the BBC London website; BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 Live & highlights on Match of the Day. Game is live on Setanta from 7pm updates on this site as well as Skysports.com . If you need a link to the game then please Pm Eye Of The Tiger.


My prediction 2-1 to Hull

Some content taken from bbc sport

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7885857.stm