WE WON’T BOW DOWN

Hull stars Jarrod and Grosicki have been sold off but Lichaj says: We will not slip into drop zone

ERIC LICHAJ has shot down suggestions Hull City are now in danger of the drop after selling star man Jarrod Bowen.

Doom merchants insist the Tigers should be looking over their shoulders after the £25million deadline-day departure of top-scorer Bowen (joining West Ham, right) and winger Kamil Grosicki.

Boss Grant Mccann (right) admits the loss of the duo, who have scored 22 of City’s 42 goals this season, affected his players. In truth, it’s ripped the heart out of the team. A fifth straight defeat leaves them 11 points shy of the play-offs and 10 points above the drop zone after they were crushed by a Said Benrahma hat-trick for Brentford.

Asked if they should be more worried about a survival scrap than making a late play-off push, Lichaj said: “That’s disrespectful to the players we have here and the players we’ve brought in during January.

“We know this display wasn’t good enough and it’s tough to take – there have been a few home truths. The nature of this division means the picture can change very quickly. With plenty of games still to go, it’s down to us to get back to winning ways and put a run of results together.”

Benrahma claimed the match ball and he peeled off his top to reveal a ‘Je T’aime

Papa’ tribute to his late father, who died last week.

The sides swapped comedy own-goals, with Hull’s Reece Burke heading into his own net, before

Bees keeper David

Raya allowed Ryan Tafazolli’s harmless through ball to trickle in off his foot. Ollie Watkins headed his 19th of the season to remain top of the league’s goal charts. After having to sell a key player in each of the previous 11 windows, boss Thomas Frank reckons holding onto the £25mrated striker is the Bees’ best bit of January business. Watkins, 24, said: “I want to keep scoring goals and help the team to pick up as many points as possible to try and do something special this year, like getting promoted.

“It’s been a tough week for Said, losing his dad, but we’ve all been there to support him, and he showed just what he can do out there on the pitch.”

A HULL OF A BEATING A bad week for the Tigers ended in a 5-1 home thrashing