Hull City undeterred by Jaden Philogene absence as blend of style and substance sinks Cardiff City

Fans inside the MKM Stadium for the 3-0 victory over Cardiff City watched Hull at their fluid best. The best sides can be swashbuckling one minute and rigid the next, and the Tigers were flexible as they strolled to a stylish win.

Each goal was a thing of beauty in its own way. Even the opener, a tap-in for Aaron Connolly, was at the end of a slick attacking move that sliced Cardiff open. Scott Twine's inch-perfect free-kick doubled the lead before a delicate Ozan Tufan chip had fans salivating.

Rosenior has brought a feel-good factor to the MKM Stadium and Christmas cheer was not the only thing in the air as Hull saw off their opponents. Belief in Rosenior’s philosophy is evident and his methods have led the Tigers into a play-off spot.

Even without chief creator Jaden Philogene, currently out of action due to injury, Hull look a force to be reckoned with.

Speaking after their latest win, Rosenior said: “We’re never a one-man team. I don’t want to say ‘oh Jaden’s out, so now Ozan steps into his place’. We’re a team. We will win games as a team and we will lose games as a team.”

Despite his insistence on the team getting the praise, Rosenior could not help but wax lyrical about a number of individuals.

He said: "Scott Twine was the one who stepped out to the left today, he's got three goals in the last five games. Ozan comes in, he's got two goals in the last two games. Aaron comes in, Liam scores, if we want to get to where we want to be, it has to be a team mentality, for every player on the pitch.

"Talk about individuals - Jacob Greaves and Alfie Jones for me have been absolutely magnificent in their performances. Every single player is doing their job, we don't speak about Jean Michael Seri or Tyler Morton's performance because we're consistent. I want to speak about the team - the team is what's going to get us there. The team is the star. As team performances go, it was very good.

"He [Tufan] epitomised the team. I was delighted with him, Aaron Connolly has been out for a while, he played 90 minutes on Wednesday and showed so much energy.

"The energy in our midfield, the way Cyrus Christie's jumping out from right-back and pressing, Coyley [Lewie Coyle] throwing himself at shots, and [he] dealt with [Yakou] Meite really well in the first half. I could speak about all of them and that makes me so happy as a manager."

Nothing could take the gloss off such a win but it is worth mentioning Cardiff did not offer the stern test their league position suggested they would. Erol Bulut's men were laboured and their defence proved painfully easily to circumvent.

Hull were patient in possession but swift and surgical when an opportunity to advance opened up. Their savvy approach offered a stark contrast to Cardiff's disjointed one.

The Tigers now sit in the top six of the Championship and a play-off spot is theirs to lose as the festive fixtures continue to come thick and fast. If they continue to blend style and substance so beautifully, they should be able to remain in the promotion-chasing pack.

Rosenior said: "The performance level was probably similar to a lot of games we’ve played but there was a clinical ruthless edge about us, and a professionalism about us, which shows me that this group is growing in confidence in what we’re doing.

"All in all, a really pleasing day, but we just have to make sure we continue in this way of playing and this vein of form.

“What I really enjoyed, that the fans and you [the media] probably didn’t, was the way we saw the game out. Complete professionalism, I wanted the clean sheet because they’re important come the end of the season. All in all, in every aspect of the game, I thought we were very good.

“There’s a good feeling at the club at the moment, between the players, the camaraderie and the spirit of the group, the fans now are starting to see a little bit more of the reasons we play the way we do.

"There’s a lot of confidence at the club and hopefully that continues because I’m really, really happy with how things are going.”

Hull City: Allsop, Christie, Jones, Greaves, Coyle ©; Morton, Seri (Docherty 67); Connolly (Vaughan 81), Tufan (Sellars-Fleming 90+1), Twine; Delap (Slater 68).

Unused substitutes: Ingram, McLoughlin, Jacob, Traore.

Cardiff City: Alnwick, Ng ©, Goutas, McGuinness, Collins; Siopis (Swayers 66), Adams; Meite (Etete 66), Colwill (Robinson 76), Grant (Tanner 76); Ugbo (Bowler 45).

Unused substitutes: Runarsson, Romeo, Panzo, Rinomhota.

Referee: Keith Stroud (Hampshire)