Hull hooked on winning Phelan as Maloney comes off bench to sink Swansea
SWANSEA 0 HULL CITY 2 Maloney 79, Hernandez 90
THE TEAM tipped to go down without a fight refused to do so, again. Last week champions Leicester fell victim to Hull, this week it was Swansea’s turn.
Against all odds, the club with only 13 fit first-team players are unbeaten under their caretaker manager Mike Phelan.
Only Manchester City and United are above the side that have made zero summer signings following their promotion to the Premier League. Crisis? What crisis?
Hull’s bench boasted seven substitutes with just 22 league appearances between them — 20 of which belonged to Shaun Maloney. Phelan threw him on in the second half and it was the 33-year-old who inspired this win.
Maloney scored the first — a tap-in at the back post — then had a hand in the second. Abel Hernandez sealed the win by scoring in added time, a familiar feeling for Phelan following his days as assistant to Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.
The 53-year-old does not know whether he will get the job full-time but this is an astounding audition. He is tasked with keeping this sinking ship afloat but felt up the creek without a paddle in pre-season.
Hull have an owner who wants out and a fanbase that does not know whether to laugh or cry despite being back among the best in the Premier League.
Those that travelled to Swansea sang about wanting him to stay permanently and Phelan said: ‘It’s better than them chanting “We want Phelan out”.
‘Everyone knows we have decisions to make on my future, the futures of other staff, and the ownership. Hopefully decisions will soon be taken.
‘All I can do is take the team and win football matches. At the moment that’s going to plan. We are sticking together and you are seeing that in the performances. It’s no fluke.’
Phelan named the same starting line-up as last week, unsurprisingly, and grinned from ear to ear before kick-off. Yet Gylfi Sigurdsson almost wiped the smile off his face in the sixth minute.
A cross by Kyle Naughton found the 26-year-old who, on the half-volley, struck the crossbar after Hull goalkeeper Eldin Jakupovic got his fingertips to it.
Swansea boss Francesco Guidolin used Sigurdsson as a No 10 but the Iceland international had a shadow by the name of Sam Clucas, as the 25-year-old superbly man-marked him throughout.
The visitors felt wronged in the 40th minute when Stuart Attwell, the referee, refused to point to the spot.
Robert Snodgrass had cut inside and was tripped by the trailing leg of Swansea defender Jordi Amat. It was on the line of the 18-yard box but Attwell waved away the appeals, much to Phelan’s amazement.
But Hull were happy enough at half-time. The
first period had been no classic and it was more of the same after the break. Men behind the ball and breakaways was the mantra for Hull.
Last week Phelan did not make a single substitution against Leicester. Here, though, he turned to Maloney with 17 minutes to go.
And that was all he needed. A corner whipped in by Snodgrass was headed on by Curtis Davies and Maloney, waiting at the back post, tapped it in.
Then, as Swansea searched for an equaliser, Hull stole a second goal. Maloney fed Snodgrass, who then found Hernandez. The forward made no mistake and it was job done for Hull and their small squad of senior players.
Thirteen, it seems, might just be lucky for Phelan.