Derby County v Hull City: Inconsistent Tigers must ‘look forward’ – Jordy de Wijs

Instead, they head into their latest Championship encounter 11th in the table following a 1-0 defeat to the Cottagers.

Not for the first time this season, that loss saw the Tigers fail to capitalise having got themselves to within touching distance of the play-offs.

Manager Grant McCann has spoken of his frustration at the lack of consistency which has thus far thwarted City’s bid to break into the top six, and the City boss is not alone in those thoughts.

Defender Jordy de Wijs revealed that the Hull players shared their manager’s disappointment in the wake of last weekend’s defeat, though the Dutchman insists that it is how they respond that matters.

“Of course it was disappointing, but we know how good we can be,” the ex-PSV Eindhoven centre-half said.

“We had a couple of conversations together, we’ve had a good week and we move forwards.

“The concern is the way we played. That was the most disappointing thing and of course if we won the game then we would be in there [the top seven], but it is still possible, so I think that we have to look forwards.

“The most important thing, to start off with, is that everybody believes what we are capable of.

“We know that we can do it, where we struggle is with the consistency, but I think if we can manage that and get a good run of a few wins then that gives us a huge boost.”

Victory over Derby could take City as high as seventh come tea-time and their hopes of completing a league double over the Rams has been aided by the addition of two new faces in the last 48 hours.

Versatile attacker Martin Samuelsen signed from West Ham United for an undisclosed fee on Thursday before Barnsley striker Mallik Wilks put pen to paper on a loan deal until the end of the season.