Hull City v Coventry City preview: Lewie Coyle – let’s show what we can do

By Chris Dunlavy

Tomorrow, Kick-off: 8pm

Hull City skipper Lewie Coyle says the Tigers’ talented squad must prove their quality to stay in the Championship.

Despite a £30m summer outlay, Hull have spent the entire season battling relegation.

And now, they head into tomorrow evening’s game at home to Coventry City desperate for three precious points in their bid to avoid the drop.

“We’ve got a fantastic squad, loads of quality,” says the 29-year-old right-back.

MESSAGE: Hull captain Lewie Coyle

No excuses

“When we’ve got a fully fit group, it’s actually a really strong squad, and when you look around the dressing room, you do question why we’re at this end of the table.

“But by this point in the season, there are no excuses.

“I think everybody is where they deserve to be in the table.

“Because nothing is won on paper.

“You’ve got to go out there and prove it, and that’s what we need to do from now until the end of the season.”

KEY MAN: Steven Alzate of Hull City

Now in his fifth year at the MKM Stadium, Coyle believes he can draw on the experiences of the 2021-22 campaign, when a newly promoted Tigers side secured Championship survival thanks to a late-season flourish.

“The big lesson was just to keep calm,” he adds.

“You’ve just got to focus on what’s in front of you, go into every game with the mindset that you want to play well and take maximum points, and not worry about the wider context.”

For Frank Lampard’s Coventry, the stakes are equally high.

Having charged into the top six on a run of ten wins in 12, recent defeats to Sheffield United and Burnley sent the Sky Blues tumbling out again.

However, Jamie Paterson’s stoppage-time winner against Portsmouth in midweek lifted Coventry back into sixth and showed their determination.

“I think we’ve seen that in recent performances,” said Lampard.

“Just in their demeanour and how they are, the drive of the group.

“The Portsmouth game, scoring in the last minute -that shows character.”