Marco Silva: 'Hull City players starting to believe'

Hull City manager Marco Silva watches on during the Premier League clash with Bournemouth at the KCOM Stadium on January 14, 2017
© SilverHub
Marco Silva says that he has a "big challenge" on his hands at Hull City, but is confident of achieving his target of survival come the end of the season.

Marco Silva has admitted that there are "still some problems to solve" at Hull City, but is confident of keeping his new side in the Premier League.

The Portuguese was ushered in earlier this month to replace sacked boss Mike Phelan, who left the Tigers sitting bottom of the table and without a win in nine top-flight outings.

Silva has made an immediate impact at the KCOM Stadium, however, earning a victory over fellow strugglers Swansea City in the FA Cup and marking his first taste of league action on English shores with a 3-1 triumph over Bournemouth last time out.

Hull still remain in the bottom three but now just an inferior goal difference stands between themselves and Crystal Palace in 17th place, and Silva is confident that matters will improve further once his players fully adapt to his own style of play.

"It is important to me for the players to understand what we want from the team and they believe it is the right way which is important because when one player doesn't believe, it is not easy," he told Sky Sports News. "I feel like they are starting to believe and our performances gives this answer for me also. We need improve many things in the coming weeks, I'm sure of that.

"But what I saw in the last few games is important because I feel we have referred to what we prepared in training during the week. There are still some problems to solve. We have started to solve the most important problems to give the players more confidence, to change a lot of things in our organisation in the club as well. I feel like the players know what I want from the team and this is most important.

"It is a big challenge for me and the coaches because it is the Premier League. The situation in the table is not the best but I believe in our capacity and our competency, both with the coaches and my players. I am clear in my mind that we need to improve our squad and I say to the owner that this situation is important. We stay here to continue our work and find solutions to improve."

Silva has also tasted defeat to Manchester United in his three-game spell in charge of City, with the second leg of that EFL Cup tie to be played on Humberside next Thursday.

Norway's Omar Elabdellaoui in action against England during their UEFA Under-21 Championship match on September 10, 2012
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15Leicester CityLeicester2256112437-1321
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18Crystal Palace2244143041-1116
19Hull City2244142047-2716
20Sunderland2243152042-2215