So while the dust settles on the Rob Styles Show and the raging sense of injustice that went with it, Tony Mowbray and the lads need to put the controversies and card-fest behind them and focus on the bigger and more immediate challenge - consecutive games against two teams who are very much looking over their shoulders.

First up are Hull City. Their season started out as a revelation but in recent months they have slipped slowly down the table and following their game in midweek against West Ham they’re just six points ahead of ourselves. Following the unlikely 3-0 defeat at the Hawthorns earlier in the season the boys will be out for revenge and despite Tuesday night’s hiding and Hull’s burgeoning investment in the 30 something market the lads should feel confident of emerging with at least a point.

The Tigers appear to have been found out a little since their heady early season heights which peaked with the historic victory at the Emirates and while their competitive spirit is sure to be on show, backed by a large, partisan home crowd, the Baggies need not fear this fixture.

Hull's confidence must be low following a run of results which seen them win just once in the league since they somehow escaped with all three points at the Hawthorns 13 games ago. The large away following, buoyed by the extra beer money in their pockets courtesy of the clubs’ annual free coach trip, will be optimistic of getting something out of the game.

James Morrison’s welcome return to action against United along with the potential being shown between Simpson and Fortune gives the Baggies an attacking edge that makes an away goal or two much more likely than in months gone by.

With Paul Robinson’s red card against United being rescinded, Albion’s threadbare defence has received a big boost and with Hull scoring just three times in their last six league games hopefully there won’t be too much to fear from the City forward line.

Prediction: Score draw.

Fasten the seatbelts, the next stage of the West Bromwich Albion survival rollercoaster is about to begin….

 Julian Safe

TEAM NEWS

Albion

In goal Scott Carson will retain his place despite a poor game in midweek. Dean Kiely who has put pen to paper on a year's contract extension will provide back-up on the bench.

Baggies’ boss Tony Mowbray still has major selection problems in defence with four central defenders ruled out through injury. Jonas Olsson (knee), Shelton Martis (hamstring), Leon Barnett (hamstring) and Neil Clement (knee) are all definitely out whilst Abdoulaye Meite (hamstring) and Pele (groin) are doubtful. Ryan Donk (groin) looks set to play despite carrying an injury suffered during last week's game with Burnley. If Pele and Meite are ruled out then Gianni Zuiverloon looks likely to line-up in the centre of defence with Carl Hoefkens continuing at right-back. Paul Robinson at left-back will make up the defensive quartet after having his sending-off against Manchester United rescinded.

In midfield Albion must do without influential captain Jonathan Greening who is suffering from a knee injury. James Morrison looks likely to return to the starting line-up probably alongside Robert Koren, Chris Brunt and Borja Valero.  Do-Heon Kim and Felipe Teixeira are likely substitutes.

Marc-Antoine Fortune looks likely to continue up front alongside the on-loan Jay Simpson with Roman Bednar having to settle for a place on the bench. Luke Moore, Craig Beattie and long-term injury victim Ishmael Miller are all still missing.

Albion (from): Carson, Kiely, Zuiverloon, Hoefkens, Donk, Pele, Meite, Robinson, Cech, Koren, Teixeira, Kim, Valero, Brunt, Simpson, Fortune, Bednar, Dorrans, Hodgkiss.

Hull City

Matt Duke looks set to continue in goal ahead of Boaz Myhill but Nick Barmby (calf), Anthony Gardner (thigh) and George Boateng (knee) are all ruled out.

In midfield, City’s recent record signing Jimmy Bullard is poised to make his first start despite missing training on Friday.

Daniel Cousin is rated only 50-50 with the former Glasgow Rangers striker suffering from a knee injury.

Hull City (from): Duke, Ricketts, Turner, Zayatte, Dawson, Marney, Geovanni, Ashbee, Kilbane, Cousin, Manucho, Bullard, Garcia, Mendy, Fagan, Halmosi, Folan, Doyle, France, Myhill.

MATCH ODDS

Result

Albion Win: 11/4, Hull City Win: evens, Draw: 12/5.

First Goalscorer

Cousin 5/1, Manucho 6/1, Bednar 7/1, Geovanni 7/1, Folan 8/1, Simpson 8/1, Dorrans 9/1, Moore 9/1, Fortune 9/1, Beattie 9/1, Mendy, 10/1, Bullard 10/1, Garcia 10/1, Morrison 10/1, Fagan 10/1, Koren 12/1, Hughes 12/1, Kim 14/1, Marney 14/1, Halmosi 14/1.

Cloudy and feeling cold with a 10% chance of rain.

FIXTURE HISTORY

LAST MEETING AT THE KC STADIUM

Hull City 1 Albion 3
Coca-Cola League Championship
Saturday 12 January 2008, 5:20pm

Hull City: Myhill, Ricketts, Turner, Brown, Delaney (France 82), Garcia, Ashbee, Marney (Campbell 54), Hughes, Folan,Windass (Barmby 59). Subs not used: Doyle, Collins

Goalscorer: Garcia 71

Booked: Windass 36 (dissent), Delaney 45 (unsporting behaviour)

Albion: Kiely, Hoefkens, Barnett, Pele, Robinson, Morrison,Koren, Greening, Brunt (Gera 67), Phillips (Cesar 76),Miller (Bednar 76). Subs not used: Steele, Teixeira

Goalscorers: Phillips 2, Morrison 32, Bednar 90

Booked: Robinson 24 (unsporting behaviour)
Sent Off: Robinson 74 (second bookable offence)

Attendance: 18,391

Referee: Colin Webster

Kevin Phillips produced two moments of Premier League quality to take West Brom back to the top of the Coca-Cola Championship. Phillips' 16th goal of the season broke the deadlock, and the 34-year-old then set up the second for James Morrison to give the visitors a commanding half-time lead. Hull hit back with a superb strike from Richard Garcia, and West Brom were reduced to 10 men with 17 minutes remaining after the dismissal of Paul Robinson. However, substitute Roman Bednar scored a breakaway goal to seal the points at the end of the contest.

With Watford and Bristol City dropping points earlier in the day, West Brom knew they would return to the top of the table if they could avoid a third consecutive league defeat on the road. And the visitors caught Hull on the break to get off to a terrific start. Ishmael Miller's clever lay-off released Chris Brunt down the left, and Phillips met the winger's pinpoint cross by stroking the ball past Boaz Myhill from eight yards. Hull tried to hit back immediately, but Dean Kiely did well to smother a shot on the turn from Dean Windass. Although Hull were enjoying most of the territory and possession, the visitors came close to a second goal when Brunt's corner was headed just over by Robinson from four yards. Hull continued to press and Caleb Folan backheeled Garcia's cross straight at Dean Kiely before the unmarked Ian Ashbee wastefully headed over Dean Marney's free-kick. Miller then fired straight at Myhill after beating the offside trap, and the same player saw a looping header tipped over minutes later. However, Hull's defence succumbed 13 minutes before the break as West Brom doubled their advantage. Phillips was this time the provider as he cut Hull's defence in half by playing in Morrison, who poked the ball into the bottom right corner from 12 yards. Hull came desperately close in the closing stages of the half, with Kiely producing a fine double-save to thwart Ashbee and Garcia, before Garcia's follow-up shot was cleared off the line.

A long throw from Sam Ricketts in the opening seconds of the second half caused confusion in the away defence, but Folan just failed to force the ball home from point-blank range. At the other end, Myhill clung on to Phillips' curling effort from 18 yards and Miller's deflected shot dropped just wide. Hull manager Phil Brown brought on strikers Nick Barmby and Fraizer Campbell, and the former was denied by Kiely just moments after coming on. However, just as the game seemed to be drifting away from Hull, the hosts halved the deficit. Garcia cut in from the right, exchanged passes with Ricketts, and beat Kiely with a tremendous left-footed shot into the top-left corner from 20 yards. Moments later West Brom suffered another blow when Robinson, who had been booked for a first half foul on Garcia, was sent off for a late challenge on Campbell. However, Hull never really looked like taking advantage of their numerical advantage, and Bednar raced clear to fire a right-footed shot under Myhill from the edge of the area deep into stoppage-time.

Sporting Life

CURRENT CONNECTIONS

Kevin Kilbane became Albion's record signing in June 1997, moving from Preston North End in a £1million deal. He went on to make over 120 appearances for the Baggies before moving to Sunderland in December 1999 for £2.5million. The Irish international later had spells at Everton and Wigan before moving to the KC Stadium earlier this month for an undisclosed fee believed to be in the region of £500,000.

Albion's long serving defender Neil Clement spent a month on loan at Hull during the 2007/08 season.

PAST CONNECTIONS