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Hull takes on Chelsea on level terms

Article Published: Tuesday 28 October 2008

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Hull's amazing start to its first season in the top flight of English football could reach new heights on Wednesday with a victory over Chelsea.

Four away victories, including one at Arsenal, have lifted the Tigers to third in the Premier League and level on points with Chelsea.

Only Liverpool is above them both.

Rated a firm favorite for relegation at the start of the season, Hull has defied the critics under manager Phil Brown, who was little known before the Tigers won promotion through the League Championship playoffs.

Brown's collection of comparative journeymen have made a huge impact to sit proudly alongside Chelsea and the other traditional title contenders Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United, who also are in action in Wednesday's nine Premier League games.

Brazilian attacking midfielder Geovanni, a former Barcelona and Benfica player who moved to the Tigers on a free transfer from Manchester City, has scored four goals for the Tigers, including long-range strikes in victories at Arsenal and Tottenham.

Despite Hull's dream start, Geovanni is not looking too far ahead.

"I always think about things game to game. We need to be very careful and not allow ourselves to get carried away by the euphoria because there are very difficult games coming up," he said ahead of Wednesday's home match.

"If we take it step by step, in January we will have time to decide if we are fighting to stay up (or) the UEFA Cup." Geovanni says he enjoys the atmosphere at the low-key club, especially with no major stars in the squad.

"From what I have experienced so far, the key has been the dressing room. The atmosphere is sensational," he said.

"Even though we consider ourselves a very attacking team, on the pitch we are a very balanced side. Wherever we go, like when we played against Arsenal at the Emirates, we line up with three strikers.

We also have a lot of English players and when you need to defend we must all honor the nickname of the club (the Tigers)." Geovanni is proud that Hull has so far proved the critics wrong.

"It's very difficult to achieve what we have done so far in our first season in the Premier League," he said. "It has helped us to get rid of a lot of doubts."

Leader Liverpool, which holds a three-point advantage after ending Chelsea's 86-game unbeaten league record with a 1-0 victory at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, hosts Portsmouth, which lost manager Harry Redknapp to Tottenham on Monday.

Pompey wasted no time in promoting former England captain Tony Adams from assistant manager to the top job on Tuesday and a visit to Anfield is one of the toughest debuts imaginable.

Redknapp won his first game in charge of Spurs - a 2-0 victory over Bolton on Sunday - and now goes to neighbor Arsenal hoping to win there for the first time in the league since May 1993.

"It's a tough task, going to the Emirates is difficult," Redknapp said Tuesday. "They're a fantastic team and they pass superbly. But we passed brilliantly on Sunday. (Luka) Modric, (Tom) Huddlestone, (Jermaine) Jenas - they all kept hold of the ball great."

Fifth-place Aston Villa hopes to stay in touch with the pacesetters by beating Blackburn at home and Manchester United, stuck in sixth after being held 1-1 by Everton, needs to beat West Ham at home.

Wednesday's other games are Bolton vs. Everton, Fulham vs. Wigan, Middlesbrough vs. Manchester City, Stoke vs. Sunderland.

Sapa-AP

 
 
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