Mike Phelan: 'Hull City need to be braver'

Hull City manager Mike Phelan has insisted that there is no room for "pretty boys" in a relegation battle.

The Tigers took the lead during this afternoon's Premier League clash with West Bromwich Albion, but poor defending saw them ultimately succumb to a 3-1 defeat at The Hawthorns.

Hull are now winless in nine league games and sit three points from safety, and Phelan stressed the importance of his side showing more bravery if they want to stay up.

"We have to be more courageous and braver and sometimes take a knock. You can't just be a pretty boy, you have to get your body or something on it," he told reporters.

"When it is a one-on-one situation you have to carry out that duty. For 45 minutes that was probably as good as we have played. We got the goal and we were in control, but the game doesn't last 45 minutes and we suffered again.

"You can't win games by playing nice neat football, you have to do the dirty bits at the other end. There's only so much we can prepare and the staff do it really well and the players are aware of that. After the game it's annoying they didn't carry those bits of detail out."

Hull's next Premier League game comes at home to Bournemouth on January 14.