Hull boss Mike Phelan hopes EFL Cup victory will lift his 'gloomy' players

Daily Mail | October 25, 2016

Mike Phelan hopes Hull's EFL Cup run can lift the 'gloomy' atmosphere caused by the Tigers' slide down the Premier League table.

Five successive league defeats has dropped Hull into the relegation zone after a bright start, but the Tigers' 2-1 win at Bristol City on Tuesday night took them into the last eight of the EFL Cup for the second successive year.

'We tried to change it a little bit to get a smile back on everyone's faces,' Phelan said after celebrating his first win since being handed the Hull job on a full-time basis.

Hull took the lead just before half-time against Bristol City at Ashton Gate on Tuesday night

Ryan Mason's corner was headed home by Harry Maguire to put Hull ahead in the 44th minute

Defender Maguire celebrates after giving his side a vital lead in the EFL Cup fourth-round tie

'It has been quite gloomy when you're getting beat week in and week out.