More Important than Villa

A sentiment that I think many Hull City fans would agree upon. This is much more important – as we need to focus on the league rather than on an unlikely cup run, causing us to miss league games. I would rather have the league position than the games in hand.

This was always going to be a tough week for Taylor as the fixture list gifted us with Leeds, Sheffield United and Aston Villa all to play in the space of a week. However, this is viewed as the most important, especially after the Leeds United defeat, and Taylor has moved to say his players aren’t thinking about the game on Saturday.

Taylor said: ‘Without a doubt, the league is our number one priority.’

‘Tonight is far more important than the FA Cup – that’s one thing that supporters will definitely agree with me on.

‘We’re not going to win the FA Cup that’s for sure.

‘Even though it will be lovely to get some national coverage at the weekend, the main thing is staying in the Championship.’

Hull have won their last three home games against Cardiff City, Sheffield Wednesday and Ipswich Town, and we will be looking to carry on that good form in tonights match.

‘Sometimes I’m sure players prefer to play at home largely because you’re often more comfortable and more confident,’ explained Taylor.

‘That’s when you start to see the ability of a team, when they’re playing with confidence. We’re delighted with how we’ve been playing at home recently but it can be even more difficult away from home.

‘I said to the players yesterday at training that even though I’ve got the utmost respect for the players and manager at Sheffield United, if we get our fingers out we can win the match.

‘This division is very strong and in the past we’ve probably won points because teams were taken aback when they came to our ground.

‘A big stadium and 20,000 people used to make teams crack if they started badly but that isn’t a factor in us doing so well at home any more.

‘With so much quality in this league and so many experienced players, no opposition fears coming to play us yet.’

Sheffield United have had a good Christmas period, which saw them gain a last minute winner against Stoke City in their last outing.

However, the form of Leeds United must be a slight worry for Warnock, who has seen the point reduced to eight points although Sheffield United have played one less game.

This will be Peter Taylor’s fourth game in nine days, and is delighted at how his team have coped with the congestion.

‘There’s definitely no signs of any tired legs in my team,’ he added. ‘We’ve got a very fit group of players and with such a young squad, we’re well equipped to deal with a lot of games.

‘There’s determined heads around and by playing against such good opposition, that again shows how good the league is. It’s a different kind of enjoyment to last year.

‘Then we were winning a lot more but even though that’s changed, we’re still enjoying ourselves because of the standard of opposition.’