Crystal Palace vs. Hull City - fans' view

By Claire Bloomfield

LONDON (Reuters) - Hull City have the worst away record in the top flight this season, having claimed just one win and six points from 18 games.

They travel to Selhurst Park on Sunday to face relegation rivals Crystal Palace as the battle to avoid the drop goes down to the wire. Here is what the fans have to say about their teams.

Crystal Palace: Gordon Law, Editor, Holmesdale.net.

“I am extremely worried about the game against Hull this weekend and fear the team will crack when the pressure is on. The makeshift defence - and goalkeeper - do not fill me with any confidence.

“Our record at home has not been particularly good this season and we only turn it on against the big sides, whilst collapsing against the so-called weaker teams in the Premier League.

“I predict a 1-1 draw on Sunday, and the last relegation place will come down to the last game of the season. Yikes!

"I expect Hull to start the game with a high tempo and really go for the early goal to give them something to hang on to. However, if they concede first, then no doubt Hull will park the bus and the Eagles will find it tough to break them down.

“I hope that Palace can shake off the recent complacency and really grab the game by the scruff of the neck.

"Hull’s key is their manager Marco Silva. He has performed a miracle to even keep Hull alive for so long. They looked dead and buried months ago.

“Sam Allardyce has done well to transform a side that had no confidence and no shape or organisation, and has turned us into a half-decent outfit.

“It's remarkable that the team has reached 38 points considering where they were before he took over. His signings have worked out very well and he's got players such as Andros Townsend performing to their true potential.

“It been an exciting – but nerve-wracking season to watch and I would feel gutted if we were to be relegated at the end of it. It would feel as though those last four years back in the Premier League had gone to waste.”

Hull: Richard Uttley, Director, Hull City Official Supporters' Club.

“It looks like history is repeating itself, especially if you look at the last time we went down. We actually beat Crystal Palace away from home to give us a glimmer of hope.

“That could be the case again this weekend - but it could be followed by the ultimate pain of relegation at the end of the season. “Unfortunately, our campaign only really kicked into gear in January after the arrival of Marco Silva. If we had Silva in place from the outset then we would probably be finishing in a mid-table position.

“We have to attack from the outset on Sunday because our fate is now out of our hands. All we can do is try and win our games – and it looks very difficult, but you never know. Hull City never do things the easy way.

“Crystal Palace are a team that embodies a typical Sam Allardyce side. They are hard to beat as we’ve seen with their results against Chelsea and Liverpool. They have added Mamadou Sakho at the back and they look solid, so it will not be easy to score, and score we must.

“Palace are in desperate need of points after being dragged back into the relegation battle. They know that a win will all but relegate us – and save them at the same time. With that in mind, you would expect them to be aggressive from the first whistle.

“Relegation could be catastrophic for the club. We have squad full of loan players, players who could easily be prised away from us by clubs in the Premier League and there are a number of players out of contract. This would leave the squad thread bare again and in the same position as last summer - managerless.”

(Editing by Ed Osmond)