Hull City v Leeds United: Tigers are firmly on the tail of promotion foes Leeds

The Tigers sit seven points adrift of the play-offs despite having lost just once in 13 Championship outings, a run that began when Nigel Pearson's side snatched a point at Elland Road in early November courtesy of a late own goal by Bradley Johnson.

Hull's recent record bears striking similarities to that of tonight's visitors with Leeds having been beaten once in 15 league games so Rosenior accepts the task facing the home side is a tough one.

However, the full-back is also adamant that City can prevail and thrust themselves firmly into the promotion reckoning.

The 26-year-old said: "I have not seen the KC Stadium full since I came to the club so I am looking forward to the Leeds game. It should be great, especially as night games have an atmosphere all of their own.

"I haven't played in too many derbies, with my time at Ipswich last season coming when Norwich had one year in League One. I wasn't lucky enough to play in the Bristol derby, either, when at City as the two clubs were in different divisions.

"But I did play for Fulham when we beat Chelsea at home one year. It was a crazy game with sendings off and pitch invasions. The atmosphere was unbelievable. Chelsea look down on Fulham and see them a bit like a little brother so it was great to beat them.

"I am sure the atmosphere against Leeds will be similar as both sets of fans will be really up for it. The Yorkshire derby is also given an extra edge due to both teams having a chance of going up. If we can beat Leeds then we will only be a few points behind, and people keep saying Leeds are going for automatic promotion.

"That type of gap (if City win, just four points will separate the Yorkshire rivals) is nothing at all. We are in a great position and should also remember we have been in the Premier League more recently than Leeds.

"Every week during our run, we have gained that little bit more confidence due to the results we have been getting. We need to maintain that. We should be aiming for the top six, considering the squad we have got at the KC.

"Teams are starting to fear us and that is great. I am sure the opposition loook at the team sheet at 2pm on a Saturday or 7pm before a night game and think: 'This lot are useful'."

Rosenior may have been at Hull for only three months but already he has lived through a period of tremendous change at the East Riding club.

His debut came on October 30 in a 1-1 draw at Barnsley and since then the Tigers have flirted with financial disaster before being rescued by a 40m takeover that saw the Allam family wrestle control from previous owner Russell Bartlett.

The arrival of the Allams then handed manager Nigel Pearson a substantial transfer kitty that has seen Aaron Mclean and Matty Fryatt arrive for a combined 2.5m and be joined at the KC Stadium by the Manchester United trio of James Chester, Cameron Stewart and Corry Evans. Chester and Stewart have joined permanently from Old Trafford for 300,000 apiece, while Evans is on loan with a view to a permanent deal being struck in the summer.

Looking back at an eventful start to life in Yorkshire, London-born Rosenior said: "The club has changed with the takeover and things like that. But, in terms of how the lads feel, we have always maintained that we can be successful. It is something we have felt within. We have been on a decent run and the challenge now is to keep that going. No-one at the club has been surprised by our results lately.

"The division is so tight and everyone so evenly matched that any team going on a run now can really make a difference. We have got ourselves back into contention and now we have to capitalise."

Tonight's eagerly-anticipated encounter at the KC Stadium is the first meeting between the two clubs since January, 2007, when United claimed a 2-1 victory at the home of their rivals.

For Leeds, however, it was a case of winning the battle but losing the war due to it being Hull who stayed up in May as Dennis Wise's side crashed into League One. At the time, Rosenior was a Premier League regular – the full-back being an ever-present for Fulham during that 2006-07 season – and it is a level he is keen to return to with the Tigers.

He said: "These three games (Hull have drawn with Reading and QPR in their last two outings) were always going to have a big say in how our season went as they were all against teams at the top of the Championship.

"Now, the third one is here, we have to win it. If we do, we can really start to apply some pressure on the teams above us."

Caleb Folan could return to the bench tonight but Richard Garcia (knee), Vito Mannone (thigh) and Craig Fagan (hip) are still out, while Nick Barmby could be handed a start against his former club after a string of good displays from the bench.

On tonight's derby showdown, Tigers manager Nigel Pearson said: "The pressure is on us to

win it because they have more points than us. But we have still got a lot left to play for.

"The last time we played Leeds, it was off the back of a bad defeat (at home to Scunthorpe United) and we needed the points. For different reasons, we need them again now. Local derbies are about us having to put on a performance and I am sure Leeds will be coming here thinking they can win."

Last six games: Hull City LWLWDD, Leeds United DDLDWD.

Last time: Hull City 1 Leeds United 2; January 30, 2007; Championship.

Referee: G Salisbury (Lancashire).