Hull boss Iain Dowie will be without Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink for tomorrow’s must-win match against Sunderland but Anthony Gardner returns in defence.

Aston Villa are set to be boosted by the availability of captain Stiliyan Petrov, central defender Richard Dunne and full-back Stephen Warnock for Sunday’s Barclays Premier League showdown against arch rivals Birmingham City at St Andrew’s.

ASTON VILLA boosted their Champions League hopes and dealt Hull’s survival chances a potentially fatal blow with a deserved victory at the KC Stadium last night.

Hull 0 Aston Villa 2

Birmingham 0 Hull 0

Hull 1 Burnley 4

Stoke 2 Hull 0

Portsmouth 3 Hull 2

Former Celtic midfielder Barry Robson believes Aiden McGeady could be the next player to leave Parkhead as Tony Mowbray shapes his own team.

Hull 1 Arsenal 2

West Ham 3 Hull 0

SAM ALLARDYCE’S Blackburn hauled themselves eight points clear of the relegation zone and left Hull deep in trouble with a hard-fought win at Ewood Park last night.

Blackburn 1 Hull 0

ROBERTO MANCINI might have a bottomless pit of money at his disposal, but one thing he cannot seem to buy as Manchester City manager is a desire for his players to produce the character required to win games away from home in the Premier League.

Hull 2 Manchester City 1

Liverpool went fourth in the Barclays Premier League thanks to a 1-0 victory over local rivals Everton at Anfield in today’s early kick-off.

Hull manager Phil Brown will ponder a full debut for on-loan striker Amr Zaki ahead of his side’s clash with Chelsea at the KC Stadium.

WOLVES boss Mick McCarthy remained non-committal on the subject of Stephen Hunt after being given a first-hand demonstration of the Hull winger’s virtues on Saturday.

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy felt his side fully deserved their point – and perhaps more – after twice coming from behind to draw at fellow strugglers Hull today.

Hull 2 Wolves 2

Republic of Ireland striker Caleb Folan is set to leave Hull City by the end of the month.

Wigan 4 Hull 1

Hull are set to make wholesale changes for tomorrow’s FA Cup third-round tie at Wigan.

Hull have a number of fitness concerns ahead of tomorrow’s crucial Barclays Premier League trip to Bolton.

Hull 0 Blackburn 0

Hull boss Phil Brown hailed Jimmy Bullard’s replica reading of the riot act as a moment of comic timing.

Manchester City 1 Hull 1

West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola reflected on a “crazy game” after his side claimed a 3-3 draw at 10-man Hull today.

Hull 3 West Ham 3

Hull’s players proved they are firmly behind Phil Brown as they bought their manager precious breathing space with a superb performance and victory.

PHIL BROWN can breathe again.

Hull City 2 Stoke City 1

Burnley 2 Hull 0

Hull 0 Portsmouth 0

IT is a measure of the gloom which has enveloped Hull City for much of 2009 that even a rare victory on Saturday could not spark a smile from Phil Brown.

Hull 2 Wigan 1

Everton were barely extended as they cruised into the fourth round of the Carling Cup with an emphatic defeat of under-strength Hull tonight.

Hull 0 Birmingham 1

Hull could hand a first start to Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink against Birmingham in the Barclays Premier League tomorrow.

Sunderland 4 Hull 1

Hull manager Phil Brown has given Irish international Caleb Folan the green light to leave the club after enquiries from Newcastle and Middlesbrough.

Hull’s new signing Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink believes he has found the perfect springboard from which to launch a bid for a place at next year’s World Cup.

Celtic coach Peter Grant revealed the Parkhead club are still looking to augment their squad ahead of their crucial Champions League qualifier against Dinamo Moscow in Glasgow next Wednesday.

Celtic manager Tony Mowbray has assured his new players he will give them time to prove themselves before moving anyone on.