Hull City’s strange record under Ruben Selles highlights huge issue that could cost them in relegation fight

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While a number of teams are fighting it out for promotion from the Championship this season, there’s also an intense battle for survival going on at the other end of the table.

Realistically, there are at least nine teams fighting against relegation in the Championship right now, and as always, anything can happen in football, with the table flipping rapidly in the second tier.

While Hull City are not currently in the bottom three, the Tigers are sitting precariously one place and three points above the drop zone as things stand.

There are still 12 games to go this season, but after Hull’s defeat to Cardiff City on Tuesday night, they will be looking over their shoulders more nervously than ever.

• READ MORE: Bristol City become dark horses for promotion this season as they look to end decades-long exile from top flight

Victory over Sunderland was all for nothing as Hull City fall to Cardiff

Just days ago, Hull had pulled off a huge win by stealing all three points from high-flying Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

The 1-0 win there was a hard-earned victory for Ruben Selles’ side, and a vital three points in their pursuit of safety this season.

But, just three days later, Hull have fallen to an equally narrow, very disappointing defeat to fellow relegation battlers Cardiff, which puts the Tigers right back to square one.

They are now two points behind Stoke City above them, and three behind Cardiff. A win last night would have lifted Hull to 19th place and would have taken them six points clear of the relegation zone.

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Ruben Selles is winning games against the big teams, but that won’t be enough

What’s interesting is that, since Ruben Selles arrived at Hull, they have managed to beat Sunderland 1-0, Sheffield United 3-0 at Bramall Lane, and hold league leaders Leeds United to a 3-3 draw. They also beat sixth-placed Blackburn at the end of December.

In fact, Hull have now taken more points against teams in the top six than they have against all the teams outside the top six combined.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
18	Oxford UnitedOxford United	34	9	11	14	34	49	-15	38
19	CardiffCardiff	34	8	12	14	37	55	-18	36
20	Stoke CityStoke City	34	8	11	15	34	47	-13	35
21	Hull CityHull City	34	8	9	17	33	44	-11	33
22	PlymouthPlymouth	34	6	12	16	36	68	-32	30
23	DerbyDerby	34	7	8	19	33	47	-14	29
24	LutonLuton	34	7	7	20	31	55	-24	28

That’s all well and good, but beating the big teams while losing against the teams around you does not really help in a relegation dogfight. You simply have to get results in those six-pointers like last night, and that defeat very much keeps Hull hanging on by a thread.

Plymouth Argyle have shown some signs of life lately, while Derby County could still see a resurgence under new manager John Eustace. If either of those teams do find some momentum, Hull will almost certainly be the team to slip into the bottom three.