Barnsley v Hull City: Seeking change of fortunes on two fronts

The Tigers make the trip to south Yorkshire looking to improve on a disappointing start that has yielded just 13 points from as many games.

Tellingly, all six of Hull's league defeats have come after they conceded the first goal of the game – prompting Pearson to stress the need to start on the front foot tonight.

The Hull manager, whose side travel to Oakwell on the back of consecutive home defeats to Sheffield United and Portsmouth, said: "The margins between success and failure in this division are very small.

"Take away our mistakes and we could have won that game (against Portsmouth last Saturday) on another day.

"But that is how football is. There is no point moaning about it or trying to look for excuses, we have got to be better ourselves.

"We were more positive in the way we moved the ball around quicker from back to front and created a few more opportunities.

"But when you concede at the times that we did, either side of half-time, you could see the belief visibly drain out of the players. We responded pretty well but we are struggling to get over those setbacks.

"Generally speaking, we have been pretty solid as a defensive unit. But because we have scored so few goals, there is always going to be pressure on the team if you concede first.

"With that in mind looking at Barnsley, it is important that we get the first goal because our form this season suggests that we struggle if we don't get ahead.

"Whatever the problem is with our belief we have got to rectify it pretty quickly. I am not asking people to be patient because clearly the fans have been very patient so far.

"But clearly we do need to change our fortunes and the only way to do that is through hard work."

Off the field at the KC Stadium, the bid by the Allams to replace owner Russell Bartlett as majority shareholder is understood to have continued to move forward this week.

The Allams, who are believed to have a 150m fortune, held further talks with Bartlett on Thursday about a deal that would bring a 12m investment into the club to pay off looming debts and allow manager Pearson to dip into the transfer market in January.

It is also thought the two men, who run manufacturing business Allam Marine in Melton, are prepared to take on all Hull's current debts.