Hull City boss Leonid Slutsky questions future as Middlesbrough pile on problems

Hull manager Leonid Slutsky will accept his fate if the club's hierarchy dismisses him following another defeat for the Tigers at the KCOM Stadium.
Leonid SlutskyLeonid Slutsky
Leonid Slutsky

Slutsky was brought in over the summer to steer the club straight back into the Premier League but Hull have struggled for consistency this season and a 3-1 defeat to Middlesbrough was their second loss on home soil in the space of four days.

First-half goals from Martin Braithwaite and Britt Assombalonga gave Boro an ideal platform at half-time and although Kamil Grosicki pulled one back with a sublime strike, Grant Leadbitter's penalty gave the visitors all three points.

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To compound Hull's evening, Michael Hector was sent off, having initially been shown a yellow card for his challenge on Ashley Fletcher that led to the spot-kick only for referee Tim Robinson to brandish a red just before Leadbitter converted.

Hull are six points clear of the Championship drop zone but a dejected Slutsky admitted he has fallen short of his own expectations and would have no complaints if he was sacked by owner Assem Allam.

He said: "It's really very difficult to understand about the long-term future because now I must think about the next match, sending off of Hector...a lot of difficult situations.

"I think 15 matches is normal time for a decision and if the owner decides about me I will agree, no problem.

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"The biggest pressure is myself. I don't need extra pressure because I always evaluate every situation and I don't satisfy my level now.

"I am my own most serious analyst, I am never speaking about 'it's not my fault'.

"I will agree with the owner's decision in this situation. If he lets me continue to work I will try to change the situation."

Slutsky admitted his frustration at his side's Jekyll and Hyde performances this term.

He added: "We were broken after each goal.

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"It's very difficult to understand the level of each player because we can't play stability like a team or individual level; for example, one player plays really good one match, another match it's completely different level."

It was a rosier picture for Boro, who clinched their first league win in six matches at Reading over the weekend and have followed that up with another success on the road.

Boss Garry Monk said: "It doesn't get much better, in terms of performance levels, the points we took from it and the goals that we scored.

"The only negative was their goal but that was out of nothing and from their point of view it was a good finish.

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"Both performances have deserved the three points, have deserved the goals.

"Hull have scored a lot of goals this season, so they were always going to be a threat, and I thought we really took care of them defensively very well and we looked a dangerous team on the attack as well."