Pundit makes Hull City relegation statement as Tigers face 18-game ...

Former Wolves striker Don Goodman has backed Hull City to survive in the Championship season, despite the Tigers sitting in the bottom three after a dismal campaign.

Tuesday night's disappointing home defeat to QPR left City a place above the drop zone on goal difference, but they fell back into the dreaded relegation zone 24 hours later when Portsmouth beat fellow strugglers Stoke City - who visit the MKM Stadium next Saturday in a crunch six-pointer - 3-1 to move three points clear of trouble, with a game still in hand.

After winning their last two on the road at Blackburn Rovers and Millwall, City face the first of three big away tests on Friday night at Sheffield United before trips to Burnley and Sunderland. But their 3-3 draw with Leeds United earlier this month will give Ruben Selles' men heart that they can compete with the teams at the top of the division.

Goodman, who is a regular viewer of Championship football in his position as Sky Sports' summariser, believes that Selles, who is used to working in tough circumstances, can ease the Tigers away from danger in the remaining 18 games.

"There seems to be a bit more morale about the place now. I don't know what it was with the club under Tim Walter, but everything just felt a bit flat. I think he was a stern guy with left-field methods and the players didn’t seem to be able to come to terms with it," Goodman told Casino.co.uk.

"When you looked at Hull on paper, you'd say their squad shouldn't in the bottom three, so they have underperformed. I don't think they could have hired a better man for the job than Ruben Selles. When you look at all he had to go through at Reading, I’d back him to cope with most everything that comes with this job. Despite everything off the field at Reading, he put together a dynamic and young team. He's proved that he can do a job and I think with the additions they've made to their squad, I'd back them to survive."

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