Hull City v Aston Villa: Time for Bullard to step back up to the plate again

"I DON'T know where this run of wins came from, I really don't," remarked Jimmy Bullard. "With four games to go, I think everyone in the world was betting against us but we have stayed in the Premier League."

These are the words every Hull City fan is hoping to hear from their club's record signing come the final day of the season when Liverpool make the trip along the M62.

The reason is simple. If Bullard is in celebratory mood after the Reds' visit, then it means Iain Dowie's side will have pulled off the 'Great Escape'.

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Effectively four points adrift of safety going into tonight's meeting with Aston Villa due to a wretched goal difference, City probably need to win three of their last four games to have a chance of staying up.

For a team that has won just six times in the league all season – and eight games in 18 months – it seems a tall order and, certainly, more 'Mission Impossible' than 'Great Escape', especially as fourth-bottom West Ham are overwhelming favourites to beat Wigan at Upton Park this weekend.

However, where there's life, there's hope and any Hull fans believing the game is up could do a lot worse than look to Bullard for inspiration.

Just two years ago, he was able to utter the very words that began this article after helping Fulham pull off a truly extraordinary escape from relegation.

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After having won just four of their first 33 outings in the Premier League, the Cottagers lokked relegated but a surprise 2-0 triumph at Reading on April 12 provided hope.

Defeat to Liverpool at Craven Cottage in their next outing then left Fulham five points adrift of safety in 19th place and praying for a footballing miracle.

It came in the form of back-to-back victories over Manchester City, Birmingham and Portsmouth, the tally of nine points being enough to keep the Londoners in the top flight at Reading's expense on goal difference.

Bullard was, without doubt, a key figure in that surge for survival – something made all the more remarkable by him having only returned to action the previous January after 18 months out with a career-threatening knee injury.

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Two years on, the outlook for Bullard's current club looks every bit as bleak with Hull needing every bit of his motivational powers if relegation – and financial meltdown – is to be avoided.

In fact, so vital is the 31-year-old to City's prospects that he represents their only chance of survival with an ability to win a match on his own being a unique trait in the KC Stadium squad.

Sure, the Tigers have the creative talent of Geovanni. They also have plenty of big-game experience in George Boateng and Nick Barmby. But, in terms of being able to deliver that bit of magic required to claim victory, no-one else comes close to the affable Londoner.

It is why the time has come for Bullard to step up to the plate after an indifferent time since returning from injury at the start of March.

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The series of stunning displays that helped light up the City midfield late last year have been conspicuous by their absence.

Always wanting the ball in that brief spell back in the team, Bullard showed exactly how to hurt the opposition with a killer pass here or a lung-busting run there to deservedly be named the Premier League Player of the Month for November.

So keen to be at the centre of the action, he even grabbed the ball off nominated penalty-taker Stephen Hunt in the 3-3 draw at home to West Ham before dispatching the spot-kick past England goalkeeper Robert Green.

The energy Bullard brought to the midfield undoubtedly acted as an inspiration to those around him, and it was no coincidence that in the three games (Stoke, West Ham and Manchester City) he played the full 90 minutes, Hull claimed seven points.

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It seemed that the Tigers were finally getting value for money from the 5m transfer fee paid to Fulham in January, 2009.

Unfortunately, another knee injury sustained at Villa Park on December 5 meant Bullard was ruled out of the next 11 games and Hull's form nosedived.

He was back for the trip to Everton on March 7 but any hopes this would kick-start the club's season have proved wide of the mark with the player struggling to make an impact.

There were, however, promising signs last Saturday at Birmingham that Bullard, comfortably the highest-paid player in Hull's history, could be getting back to his best.

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As City prepare for two home games in the space of four days, the hope now has to be that the mercurial midfielder can rediscover that form that once helped Fulham recover from a similarly precarious position just two years ago.

Last six games: Hull City LLWLLD, Aston Villa DLWLDW.

Referee: M Dean (Wirral).

Last time: Hull City 0 Aston Villa 1; December 30, 2008; Premier League.