Hull City preparing to finally earn the respect they deserve, says David Meyler

The division’s leading marksmen will also have a potential shoot-out with one of the two strikers sitting second in the list of top goal-scorers in the second tier this season.

Burnley hosting Hull City promises to be quite an occasion, not least for Steve Bruce’s league leaders with the trip to Turf Moor kicking off a month that is as tough as they come.

Along with taking on the in-form Clarets, the Tigers must also tackle three more of the top seven during a month that will surely go a long way towards testing the promotion credentials of Bruce’s men.

David Meyler appreciates that as much as anyone, which is why the Republic of Ireland midfielder believes that if Hull can end this month still occupying top spot then a big step will have been taken towards a Premier League return.

“February is a really tough month,” said the Irishman ahead of Hull looking to clinch a league double over the Lancashire club.

“But if we can come out in the same position we go into it then we can really kick on and take the league by storm.”

Hull could not be crossing the Pennines tomorrow in much better shape. January yielded not only four straight wins in the Championship but also progress through two rounds of the FA Cup.

A trip to Arsenal awaits in the competition where the two clubs famously met in the 2014 final but, as tantalising as that Emirates tie sounds, the priority in the East Riding this month remains the league.

The trip to Burnley, with their 45 goals this season second only to the Tigers’ tally of 47 in the Championship, is followed with a return to East Lancashire a week tomorrow to take on Blackburn Rovers.

Then come three consecutive games against sides firmly embroiled in the promotion hunt, the home game with Brighton on February 16 being followed a week later by the long trip to Ipswich Town.

Sheffield Wednesday’s visit to the KC on the final Friday of the month in front of the live Sky cameras then brings down the curtain on a testing month.

For Meyler, who recently signed an extended deal at the KC Stadium, the fact the Tigers have headed into February on top of the table is a mixed blessing.

Great, of course, to be leading the way in what seems certain to be a fight to the last day. But, equally, a standing that leaves Hull as the team to be shot at, something that was not the case in 2012-13 when Cardiff City ran away with the Championship and Bruce’s men finished as runners-up during a nervy run-in.

“Honestly, I am not one who prefers to be the team to catch,” said Meyler ahead of tomorrow’s game, which pits 18-goal Andre Gray against Abel Hernandez, who, along with Ross McCormack, has three fewer than the Clarets striker.

“The year we went up, we were never really considered top two-ish. We sort of jumped around, being second for a bit and then falling back to third.

“Then, we had a run and went ‘boom’. Everyone writes us off and, while it annoys me sitting at home hearing that happen, I do think it can help.

“People will be going on, saying ‘Middlesbrough have a chance’ or ‘Burnley and Derby are looking good’. But we get nothing.

“I don’t know why everyone seems to write us off. I have felt that for some time, particularly before Middlesbrough at home. We didn’t get the respect we deserve then, not on the television.

“Even now, we are top but people still want to put us down. But, if we are top and people try to catch us, so be it.

“Try and catch us. With the group of players we have along with the management and coaches, the hunger is there for success and I do believe we will be promoted.

“To do that, though, we have to keep scoring goals and keep playing well.”