10 QUESTIONS: HULL CITY

How do you see Hull's campaign so far?

A pretty miserable start had Phil Brown teetering on the brink, but an upturn in form during November saved his skin. It had looked like being the platform to push clear of the bottom but for every useful result there has been a stutter. Away form remains a big concern having and not won away in a whole year.

We have been fairly strong at home, grinding out some decent results, however away from home there has been another story. Unable to score many goals, and defending being less than average - a role reversal of last season's efforts.

Do you think you will be one of the sides to escape the drop?

It seems impossible to say with any certainty at this stage. With Portsmouth doomed and Burnley looking increasingly likely to follow, I think it's one team from around four or five to follow them. With six of the last 11 games to come at home, you suspect City's fortunes will be won or lost at the KC and if they can get there, a tally of 36 may well be enough to stay up again.

I think to be honest we are 50/50 chances to go down. But I do think that April will be the month that decides our fate, with four very winnable matches - two of them home games against sides around us. 

Who has been the star player so far this season?

Such have been City's struggles, there aren't too many stand-out performers. Leading the way for Player of the Season would have to be Stephen Hunt, his goals from the left of midfield have been vital. Boaz Myhill has had another promising season while Anthony Gardner was another impressive performer until he suffered a serious ankle injury.

That's a hard one! I think the stand out player over the whole of the season has been our great left midfielder, Stephen Hunt. Since signing from Reading last summer, his goals and all-round play have been crucial. He never stops running, wears his heart on his sleeve and is a real fan favourite! 

Supporters know exactly what he can do but given his injury problems, it has to be Jimmy Bullard. Having forked out £5m for him 14 months ago, two serious knee injuries have left Bullard looking on from the sidelines but he has the ability to really make City tick.

Amr Zaki, for sure! He was brought in to help strengthen our attack and nick goals - goals which at the end of the season, might be the difference between staying up or going down...we've yet to see any evidence of that!

What did you make of your league win over us in November?

Unfortunately for Everton, they came to the KC when confidence was sky-high and perhaps found themselves on the back of City's best 45 minutes of the season. Racing into a 3-0 lead, City were terrific and Everton dreadful. Two goals after the break almost saw Everton complete a fight-back but it was City's night.

The league win was great for us, and at the time filling us with confidence. It was a bitterly cold night, and Hull City battled well against a close to full-strength Everton team, although missing a few big names. 

...and what about the League Cup game?

One to forget for City. It came during an abysmal run of form during September and fielding an under-strength side, as Brown often does in cup competitions, Everton simply blew their hosts away.

As for the League Cup game, the players that Phil Brown put out that night - with all due respect to them - were not of first-team strength, and the performance shown wasn't up to much to be honest.

How do you think the game against Everton will go this time around?

Given their troubles on the road, not too many City fans will be travelling with optimism but some of their better performances away from home have come against the bigger clubs. Draws came at Manchester City and Spurs and if they can follow that hard-working blueprint at Goodison, they might just nick something. Make no mistake though, it will be very difficult.

I'm not as confident with the fixture at Goodison, with our form away from home being poor. With top quality opponents, the signs don't look good. However, I will head to Goodison on Sunday morning with optimism, and still feel we might be able to nick a win! If you don't have hope, what have you got...

What are your thoughts on Everton?

It was hard not to feel some sympathy for David Moyes as Everton limped through the first three or four months of the season. The loss of several key players to injury meant his cloth was stretched too far thin. The inevitable upturn in fortune has come with the return of his big-hitters and providing they can maintain their useful run of form, you'd have to fancy them to finish a commendable eighth.

Everton are a very positive and extremely hard-working team. When the chips are down, they aren't afraid to get physical and are up there with the hardest-tackling teams in the Premier League. They have some genuinely-great international players. I think a top eight finish is likely for the Toffees.

Given the probable absence of Fellaini, Cahill and Saha, it has to be Arteta. He was the creative heartbeat of the side until his serious knee injury last season and returning the team in recent weeks has helped Everton hit top gear again. A brilliant free-kick from the Spaniard was also key to the 2-0 win over City at Goodison last season. Jack Rodwell also has all the attributes to be a future England international.

It would have been Marouane Fellaini, just for his sheer aggression, hard tackling, gets stuck in and has been known to throw some elbows! However with him being out, that is one less thing on City's mind! Louis Saha has been in great goalscoring form this season and if fit, he will be an immense danger.

You never know what's coming next! If a meteoric rise up through English football was not enough, the rollercoaster is not ready to end yet. 

The excitement of not knowing where the season is going to lead us. Being a Chelsea/Manchester fan must get boring!