Masterful Marco gives Hull hope of a miracle escape

HULL could yet defy the odds and survive – this come-from-behind win had the feel of a side heading up, not down – but manager Marco Silva deserves to be in the top flight next season no matter the fate of his side.

The Portuguese boss last lost a home league fixture three years ago when in charge of Estoril. He has since managed at Sporting Lisbon and Olympiacos and his record at Hull reads four wins from five, taking his unbeaten run to 39 matches on home soil.

Silva said Hull needed a miracle to stay in the Premier League when he arrived in early January, and few disagreed with his assessment of a team which had won just once since August. But they are starting to believe on Humberside and that owes everything to their brilliant boss, whose half-time reshuffle here proved the inspiration behind victory.

Hull are now level on points with fourthbottom Swansea after second-half goals from Andy Robertson and Andrea Ranocchia reversed Andy Carroll’s opener, the 50th goal of the former Liverpool striker’s career.

For West Ham, this was a fourth defeat on the spin and just six points separate these two teams. Slaven Bilic’s future has been the subject of much speculation in recent days — he will not yet be offered an extension to the contract which expires in 2018.

‘After four defeats, of course I can expect even more speculation,’ he said. ‘But I wasn’t worried before, I am not worried now. I can’t affect it. I am doing my job, I am very motivated and very, very positive.’