Hull’s Lewie Coyle sends Nottingham Forest warning ahead of final day clash

Hull City defender Lewie Coyle has warned Nottingham Forest that the Tigers are hurting and determined to “go out there, roll our sleeves up and put on a hell of a performance” in their final Championship game of the season on Saturday. 

Hull were hammered 5-0 by Bristol City at Ashton Gate last weekend and now return to the MKM Stadium to host a Forest side pushing to secure third place over Huddersfield Town.

Steve Cooper’s side saw their automatic promotion hopes ended by a 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth on Tuesday evening and will be determined to bounce back on Saturday to ensure they enter the play-offs with plenty of momentum.

But, speaking to Hull Live, Coyle warned that the Tigers were determined to ensure that they finished their season with a flourish.

He said: “I think we owe it to ourselves more importantly. It’s not fair on the group of players and staff in the dressing room that the season just fizzles out with a heavy defeat and a throwaway game on Saturday. We need to go out there, roll our sleeves up and put on a hell of a performance.

“I’m not thinking about the summer, this is raw and it hurts. I’ll speak on behalf of the group and say that we’re a proud group, I’m a proud person and not one of us is sat there thinking anything other than being on the wrong end of a battering to put it simply.

“That’s why it hurts as much. We’re not used to being on the end of a defeat like that and again our character in the group has never been questioned. When something like this has happened – and it has been rare – there’s always a response from us. The lads are hurting, that’s clear and evident and it’s up to us as a group to put it right.”

Hull lost the reverse fixture 2-1 back in December thanks to second half