Young Tigers are relishing hectic schedule

The Tigers host Ipswich Town today in their third of what will be nine games this month.

A combination of the Arctic blast that hit the country in early February and a couple of games having to be postponed due to the opposition being in Cup action caused the backlog but head of football operations Pearson is adamant it will not hamper City’s push for the play-offs.

He said: “We are still in a very good position. Okay, we have drawn our last four but we are unbeaten in eight and have taken 14 points from those eight games.

“If we take 14 points from our next eight games we will be in a good position.

“The games are coming thick and fast now so if we can go on a run then this is the time to do it.

“People may look at the schedule and wonder if it is too much but this is a young team and young lads just want to play.

“Speaking to Nick (Barmby, manager), he says the lads are relishing having so many games and are really up for the challenge.”

City boast an eight-game unbeaten run but in half of those fixtures they have failed to score.

In fact, seven of their last 11 matches have ended without Hull finding the opposition net and Pearson admits it is a record that has to improve sooner rather than later.

He said: “Our defensive form (the Tigers have conceded just four goals in 13 games) has been outstanding, we just need to be more ruthless in attack.

“I thought we played well in the first half against Leeds and should have put the game out of sight.

“The second half was a bit scrappy and we didn’t really get going but, overall, I thought we did more than enough to win the game.

“That is what we have to take into what will be a tough game against Ipswich. They have been on a decent run lately and have got a few more bodies in.”

Manager Barmby is well aware that Ipswich will prove to be difficult opponents after an impressive recent run that has seen Paul Jewell’s side win five of their last seven games and lost just once.

He said: “Michael Chopra is a danger man and has been scoring goals of late, while Lee Martin has also been doing well lately.

“They had a lot of injuries to key players at the start of the season. The way they came back from that doesn’t surprise me because of the manager they have got and the experience he has.”

Chopra is expected to start today despite suffering an ankle strain in Tuesday’s draw at leaders Southampton, while Robbie Brady is back available for Hull.

The Manchester United loanee has missed the last two games with a thigh problem.