Hull City FC

• Nickname:
• Founded:1904
• Manager:Nigel Pearson

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Preview: Hull City v Wolves

28 Jan 2010 - 14:43:43

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The importance of Hull City's home clash against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday is likely to escalate ahead of the weekend, with both sides desperate for a win to aid their relegation fights.

Hull sit second bottom with only Portsmouth beneath them and with Wolves just two places and one point above them, there should be some fireworks at the KC Stadium.

Tigers boss Phil Brown must somehow guide his team to a much-needed victory if they are to close the gap on those around them.

However, with just four points collected from their last eight games and no win to show for their efforts, the Humberside club are a sinking ship.

Their effervescent midfielder Jimmy Bullard has been a massive miss following his knee injury although he is nearing a return to the first-team fold, but the weekend showdown may come too soon.

Dean Marney (calf) and new signing Amr Zaki (hamstring) also face a race against time to make Brown's thoughts. Ian Ashbee (knee) is a long-term absentee and he is definitely out.

Mick McCarthy's Wolves will be indebted to the successful month of December that brought the Molineux club three wins from six games.

They disposed of Bolton Wanderers and Burnley on home soil and secured an admirable win at Tottenham Hotspur to aid their cause.

Only defeats at Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City marred their recent pick up.

Although they lost to Wigan Athletic earlier in the month, they grabbed an excellent goalless draw against Liverpool on Tuesday evening to slightly ease their concerns, but the importance of Saturday's showdown will be of paramount importance to McCarthy.

Wolves have failed to score in their previous four Premier League games and Hull have notched just three in their last six.

This suggests that it could well be an edgy affair between two sides scrapping to preserve their status among England's elite.