By Eye Of The Tiger
September 26 2009

Hull Travel to Anfield this weekend to take on Liverpool on the back of a 4-0 hammering at Liverpool's near neighbours Everton. Hull have only won one of their opening 6 games this season and an away trip to Liverpool is probably not the best fixture to have after such a heavy defeat.

Team News

Hull could welcome back Defender Anthony Gardner from a knee injury. Bullard, Garcia & Ashbee (all knee), Mouyokolo (hamstring) are all out injured.

Liverpool are still without Defender Andrea Dossena and midfielder Alberto Aquilani

Head-to-head

• Hull have never beaten Liverpool in any competition (P14 D3 L11).

• Since the teams drew 2-2 at Anfield last December, Liverpool have won 18 league games while Hull have won just two.

Liverpool

• Liverpool have scored in their last 22 games in all competitions (17 in the Premier League). Middlesbrough were the last team to keep a clean sheet against the Reds on 28 February.

• Liverpool were last season's top scorers in the Premier League and have begun this season with 16 goals in their first 6 league matches.

• Liverpool have had 74 shots on target this season, more than any other Premier League side.

Hull

• Hull only lost one of their four league visits to the 'Big Four' grounds last season and scored at least two goals in three of the four games.

• Phil Brown's side have not won any of their last eight away games. Their last win on the road was at Fulham last March.

• Hull have not scored more than once in their last 20 league games.

• The Tigers have committed 102 fouls this season, more than any other Premier League side.

• Nick Barmby is on 99 club career goals.

Phil Brown

"I don't think it's just people outside the club (that have written us off)," said Brown.

"I think there is an awful lot of negativity surrounding this club at the moment. Results are the main reason for that negativity and we've got to make sure we put a marker down at some stage. Maybe that will be against one of the top boys. This is a good opportunity for us.

"We've got some good players at this club and all I want them to do is express themselves when they've got the ball.

"There will be a great atmosphere at Anfield. We're taking a full contingent of away fans and they will make some noise, they always do. The away fans always get behind the team 100 per cent.

"If we put our best foot forward, we will make a game of it."

Rafa Benitez

"It was very important for us. We won a lot of games in a row at the end of the season because we had a lot of confidence and we wanted to be as close to them as possible," he explained.
 
"You can take it as a positive because we were so close.
 
"This season it has almost been a problem because from the first day people were expecting us to win and score five goals in every game.
 
"Now, despite not starting well, we are in a good position and everyone has more confidence to play better.
 
"We know the teams at the top of the table will not make too many mistakes so we have to keep winning games."