Hull City manager Nigel Adkins has confessed that his side will have to conjure up the magic of the FA Cup if they are to overcome Chelsea in the last 16.
The Championship strugglers travel to Stamford Bridge on Friday night aiming to pull off a major upset against the seven-time winners of the competition.
To make matters worse for the Tigers, who have just two wins to their name in 2018, they are without as many as 12 first-team players for the trip to West London because of injury.
Speaking to reporters at his pre-match press conference, Adkins said: "We need the magic of the FA Cup and we'll need a lot of it because we're going up against a top side with an excellent manager and players who are used to winning things.
"They'll see this competition as an opportunity to go and win another trophy. We're going there under no illusions about the challenge in front of us.
"You have to believe that an upset is possible, though - it's the FA Cup. We'll select a team with some counter-attacking ability and with any opportunities we do get in the game, we have to be ruthless and clinical.
"We'll be up against it defensively because we're going up against a very good side. For us, it's all to gain, nothing to lose".
Hull last faced Chelsea in an FA Cup tie in December 1999, losing 6-1 away from home on that occasion - the Blues' joint-biggest away win in the competition.
Daniel Lewis
