Drop rivals Hull gun for six points out of six

Hull City midfielder Marcus Henriksen is gunning for six points from two crucial home games in the battle for Premier League survival.

The top flight returns after the international break with two games in quick succession for all teams.

Third-bottom Hull, three points adrift of safety and four above bottom club Sunderland, will look to capitalise on home matches against mid-table West Ham (Saturday) and second-bottom Middlesbrough, in a six-pointer on Wednesday.

Boro, like Sunderland, face two away games while the Tigers enjoy their home comforts at the KCOM Stadium.

Norwegian star Henriksen insists that spirits are good in Marco Silva’s camp.

“We’re all very positive,” 24-year-old Henriksen told the Hull Daily Mail.

“Everything is up to ourselves.

“We have to play a lot of the teams that are around us and the two games coming up now are massive.

“Six points would be great and we need it, if I’m honest.

“It’s two teams that we’re more than capable of beating.

“If we can win on Saturday then it gives us confidence for the next game.

“There’s going to be some very interesting weeks coming up.

“I don’t see any nerves here.

“All the players are ready to stay up.

“We’ve trained more with the manager and the players look like they know the system better with each week.

“I think we are ready for the task.

“As a club coming up from the Championship to the Premier League, it was always going to be tough.

“Of course, I hope we can make it.”

Henriksen has given Silva, missing the suspended Tom Huddlestone, a timely boost by proving his fitness in time to make a first appearance in more than two months,

“The timing of the injury was terrible, but being injured is never good,” said Henriksen, recalling his shoulder injury sustained in the EFL Cup semi-final first leg defeat at Manchester United.

“I felt like I was just starting to find my shape and settle in here in Hull and then this happened. “It’s a pity, but that’s life. “The shoulder now is absolutely good.

“I’ve now trained for two weeks without any problems, so, at the moment, I’m 100 per cent ready to go.

“Luckily I was able to keep my shape up. I feel ready to show this manager that I’m ready to play. I’ve told him that everything feels good and I’m fit to go.”