LONDON (Reuters) - As the struggle to avoid relegation from the Premier League hots up, Hull City manager Steve Bruce is hoping that a series of home games will keep his team safe.
Failing to win any of their last five matches has dropped the Humberside club into the bottom four places on 28 points, while Leicester City (22), who have games in hand, Burnley (26) and Queens Park Rangers (26) have all shown signs of reviving.
"Last week was disappointing because all around us picked up points," Bruce told a news conference on Friday.
"The way it has gone all season I would expect it to go to the wire because there are so many teams fighting for it.
"There are six teams in it, fighting for their lives, and unfortunately we are one of them."
Hull's away record is poor but Bruce, the former Manchester United captain and Crystal Palace, Birmingham, Wigan and Sunderland manager, believes that after travelling to seventh-placed Southampton on Saturday they can capitalise on home advantage.
"We've got a tough run-in but after this weekend we've got four out of six at home," he said.
"All sorts of crazy results happen and we need to get one or two."
Hull have midfielder Tom Huddlestone available again but will be without David Meyler, who begins a three-match suspension, and Uruguayan Gaston Ramirez who is ineligible to face his parent club.