PREMIER LEAGUE: EWOOD PARK, WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 10, 2010. KICK OFF: 2000 GMT
BLACKBURN ROVERS:
Sam Allardyce will exchange plenty of banter over a pint with his friend Phil Brown after the game.
But Allardyce will share few laughs with Hull counterpart Brown before or during the match after the Blackburn manager admitted that Rovers are not yet out of danger.
Just when he thought his team's bad old habits were behind them, Blackburn's tame 3-0 surrender at Stoke last Saturday left Allardyce a worried man.
Allardyce is aware 40 points has not been required to avoid relegation in recent seasons, but it is still a tally he wants his team to reach as soon as possible.
With 13 games remaining, they are still four wins short of that target and Allardyce has earmarked the visit of Hull, managed by Brown, his former long-serving assistant at Bolton, as three points towards safety.
"I said it last week, but the throwing away of two points at West Ham was the big one for us," Allardyce said. "That is why we are looking back and are very regretful we didn't get those three points.
"Sitting on 30 points rather than 28 would make us look a lot more comfortable. We are not out of trouble by a long chalk yet.
The magic 40-point mark is looming and that is where we have to get to. You haven't had to get that many for many, many years, but that is the magic mark."
Despite a season-long battle to avoid relegation, Hull arrive at Ewood Park with confidence sky high following their surprise victory over Manchester City.
"I saw Hull City against Chelsea in midweek and they have beaten Manchester City on Saturday, so it will be a big, big game for us to get three points on the board," added Allardyce.
"I am very disappointed in our overall performance at Stoke, even with the refereeing decisions going against us. Our players were not as good as they should have been by far and we have to take it on the chin, pick ourselves up for Hull, which is going to be a hugely tough game."
Strategy: There are clubs in more trouble than Blackburn, but, if there are further performances like the one against Stoke, the alarm bells will be ringing. Allardyce's saving grace is that Blackburn's home form remains formidable having been beaten only once at Ewood since the opening day of the season.
A strong performance is required to appease fans who have become frustrated at the team's failure to push higher up the table. With points crucial to both teams, this will not be pretty. But Blackburn should have enough quality, especially in midfield, to atone for their weekend no-show.
Injury Update: Chris Samba is suspended following his second dismissal in three outings while influential David Dunn is still not fit. Lars Jacobsen (thigh) featured for 65 minutes in a reserve friendly on Monday while new Turkish signing Yildiray Basturk may be involved after playing 45 minutes of the same game.
HULL CITY:
Brown had a smile on his face wider than the Humber Bridge after Hull's shock victory over Manchester City at the weekend, which lifted his side up to 14th place in the table.
Few could begrudge him his joy, too, considering Hull thoroughly deserved the three points and, for the first time in months, Brown has managed to engineer a bit of breathing space for himself at the bottom end of the table.
There is no respite in the Premier League, however and Brown has been around long enough to know a kick in the teeth is never too far away. That is exactly what a defeat at Ewood Park would feel like considering Hull have just taken four points from the last two games against Chelsea and City.
A win, however, would see Hull close to within just a point of Allardyce's side and, more importantly, increase the gap between themselves and the relegation zone.
It has been a long and demanding campaign for Brown so far, but somehow he has managed to get his side playing their best football of the season when it matters most.
Just one defeat in the last six games appears to have given Hull's players the belief that they are good enough to avoid relegation against the odds for a second season in succession.
Hull's renaissance has coincided with the emergence of teenage midfielder Tom Cairney, to such an extent that the club are considering offering him and new and much improved long-term contract.
With several clubs already monitoring Cairney, Hull are keen to secure his future and reward him for his progress and Brown said: "Would I be interested in sitting down with Tom to discuss his future? Of course I would. But that's something that we can take our time on, his contract runs until 2011.
"You look at Tom and he doesn't look like the type of player who needs to have his feet kept on the ground at the moment. He's taking it all in his stride. Tom has got a long-term future in the game and fingers crossed that will be with us."
Strategy: Brown has adopted a more positive attitude of late and duly got his rewards. But this happened in three successive home games and the big question of him now will be whether or not he has the guts to continue this approach away from the KC Stadium? He will be reluctant to make changes as confidence rises within the team and knows this could be the period of the season when Hull garner the points required to make themselves almost safe.
Amr Zaki is once again straining at the leash in terms of him being given his first start, yet Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink had his best game in a Hull shirt against Roberto Mancini's side and deserves to be kept in the team. He is proving a good foil for Jozy Altidore while his awareness and intelligence is bringing out the best in those others around him.
Injury Update: Ian Ashbee (knee) remains sidelined, while Jimmy Bullard's return from damaged knee ligaments continues to be delayed. Brazilian playmaker Geovanni will have a late fitness test on his troublesome knee in the hope of returning to the squad. Brown faces a dilemma in midfield, where veteran George Boateng has just played three games in seven days and might need a rest. If so, Brown has the luxury of being able to recall Seyi Olofinjana.
