Source: SKY_Sports
Brown - Time to knuckle down
Hull City boss Phil Brown has told his players there is no time to feel sorry for themselves.
The Tigers lost 3-1 to relegation rivals Middlesbrough on Saturday and are now just four points above the drop zone.
They face another crucial game this weekend as they travel to Sunderland and Brown has demanded a response from his men.
"I need players who are prepared to knuckle down and give everything they've got for Hull City," the manager told the Hull Daily Mail.
"We've had a couple of days of harsh, hard words because it's vital that the players understand the significance of what is ahead.
"There are some harsh realities the players need to appreciate and if they don't, they are no good to me.
"Middlesbrough was not good enough, but there are six games left, nine hours of football, and we have to get sufficient points to stay in the Premier League."
Fantastic support
Brown has been pleased with the reaction of fans to Saturday's setback and hopes that can inspire his side to victory at the Stadium of Light.
He explained: "I went for a walk through Beverley on Sunday and the support and positive words I received was fantastic.
"They (the fans) realise what is at stake for their football club over the next six weeks but they're still massively behind us and are desperate for us to succeed.
"They had already put the Middlesbrough game on the wave behind them and had begun looking towards Sunderland with a positive frame of mind. It's vital that the players do that as well."
Sunderland are in even poorer form than City, having picked up just one point from their last six matches, and Brown wants to keep the pressure on the Black Cats.
"It's vital that we are more difficult to play against, we didn't work hard enough against Middlesbrough," he explained.
"I don't mind taking the rap if my players come off the pitch having given it everything, I'll take any criticism that comes our way then. Against Middlesbrough we didn't put a shift in and that's not acceptable.
"I don't think there's a lack of belief, it's about using the knowledge of how we have won games in the past and getting back to the basics."
