Hull City either 'fight or we go under' warns Grant McCann

Barnsley, by contrast, arrived at the KCOM Stadium in midweek propping up the rest of the division.

That the Reds went on to win the game and complete a league double over City was one thing, but the fact that the visitors more than deserved their 1-0 success by virtue of playing far superior football throughout much of the contest is of greater concern.

In isolation, such a worrying performance or outcome can be dismissed, particularly in a league as competitive as the Championship, but Hull are no strangers to defeat in 2020.

Eight losses in their previous 10 outings represent a run unlike anything McCann had experienced in his footballing career, and he says his players now need to stand up and be counted.

“It’s probably the longest run as a player or a manager I’ve gone without winning,” the Tigers chief said.

“We’ve now got two options. Either go under or roll our sleeves up. We’ve got to try and find that win that will kick-start our season. The sooner the better.

“We aren’t stupid. We know the position we’re in. There’s going to be a lot of negativity. We are not making any excuses, but what we’ve got to do now is knuckle down.

“What we need is bravery. When things are going against you it’s very easy to hide. It takes brave people, brave men and brave teams to get out of things like this.”

Defeat leaves City 17th in the Championship, just four points above the relegation zone heading into a home showdown with title-chasing Leeds United this weekend.