Bruce: We’re getting too big for our boots

JUST a few weeks ago, Steve Bruce was purring with delight at the ‘best squad’ he has ever had at Hull. After seeing his side become the first team to lose to Burnley in the Barclays Premier League this season, Bruce seems to think his players are getting too big for their boots. ‘Names on paper when you play like that mean absolutely jack s***,’ he said. ‘Burnley are fighting desperately hard to stay in the division. We should know because we were like them 12 months ago. The sad indictment was that they had a greater desire to win the game. ‘We’re Hull City, let’s not forget. We’re kidding ourselves if we think we’re better than we are. We’ll be at the bottom of the table playing like that.’ Burnley are still in that spot but they are now just two points from safety after their first win of the season. Goalscorer Ashley Barnes said: ‘To get the first three points on the board is brilliant. We’ll be off and flying now. ‘We are the new boys so everyone is going to write us off but if we keep playing like that there’s every chance we can stay in this league.’ Barnes’s strike partner Danny Ings, 22, gave a stand-out display. ‘He ran his socks off,’ Barnes said. ‘He couldn’t even move in the changing room.’ SUPER STAT: Burnley were the last of the 256 clubs in the top 11 divisions of English football to win a league match this season.

BURNLEY (4-4-1-1): Heaton 6; Trippier 7, Duff 6, Shackell 6.5, Ward 6; Arfield 6 (Kightly 54min, 6), Marney 6, Jones 6, Boyd 6.5; Barnes 7 (Jutkiewicz, 75, 6); Ings 7.5. Subs not used: Gilks, Keane, Sordell, Mee, Chalobah. Booked: Shackell, Ward, Duff, Marney, Ings, Jutkiewicz. Scorer: Barnes 50.

HULL CITY (3-5-2): Harper 6; Chester 6 (Ben Arfa 59, 6), McShane 7, Davies 6.5; Elmohamady 6, Livermore 6, Diame 6.5, Huddlestone 6 (Quinn 51, 6), Brady 6.5; Hernandez 6, Aluko 5.5 (Ramirez 51, 5.5). Subs not used: Jakupovic, Rosenior, Meyler, Robertson. Booked: Chester, Hernandez, Brady, Livermore.

Man of the match: Danny Ings. Referee: Mark Clattenburg 6.5.