Are Marco Silva’s men any closer to the dream of Premier League survival?
West Bromwich Albion’s Jake Livermore in action
Six weeks have passed since Hull City appointed Marco Silva as manager, and two weeks since a whirlwind end to the transfer window saw the Tigers bring in eight new faces to the club, following the sales of first team regulars Jake Livermore and Robert Snodgrass.
In the weeks that Silva has been manager, Hull fans have seen a remarkable change in character. Now there is real hope of survival again, after a run of performances that included wins against Liverpool and Bournemouth, and a hard-fought point against Manchester United.
City still lie within the relegation zone, but a new influx of players has brought new life to the squad.
Silva’s reputation as a manager that revitalises players with unfulfilled potential is once more bearing fruit – the recent performances of loan signings Lazar Markovic and Andrea Ranocchia, two players whose careers have stagnated in recent years, show the signs of newfound belief.
Hull City’s Alfred N’Diaye celebrates scoring their first goal with Andrea Ranocchia and Harry Maguire
Goals are starting to look more easy to come by too – while star striker Abel Hernandez is once more sidelined by injury, new forwards Alfred N’Diaye and Oumar Niasse have already chipped in with goals since arriving at the end of January.
Above all, there is belief that the manager – branded the new Jose Mourinho – can inspire his players to fight their way out of trouble.
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