Hull's Silva calls for unity ahead of crucial final games
(Reuters) - Hull City must keep their cool and stick together to get a win during Sunday's crucial Premier League game at Crystal Palace with both teams fighting to maintain their top flight status next season, manager Marco Silva has said.
Hull's 2-0 loss to Sunderland on Saturday added to a dismal run of one win in their last five league matches and left them third from bottom on 34 points, one point adrift of safety and four behind 16th-placed Palace with two games left.
Palace have slumped into the relegation scrap after three consecutive league losses but Silva said his team have to remain focused when they visit Selhurst Park.
"When we win, we win all together," Silva told British media. "When we lose, we lose all together.
"We have to be calm. The first thing we need to be (against Palace) is calm. You cannot play well if you are not.
"Even when you don't play well, it's important that we keep our focus. We didn't achieve what we wanted (against Sunderland) but we have two more games. We will fight until the end."
If Hull lose at Palace and rivals Swansea City beat already-relegated Sunderland, the Tigers' elimination to the Championship will be confirmed before their final game against Tottenham Hotspur.
"We will prepare for these games like we prepare for the others," Silva added.
"If they listen to our staff and me, they need to play. These are the moments for the big players, the very good players. The good teams show what they can do in these moments."
(Reporting by Aditi Prakash in Bengaluru; editing by Sudipto Ganguly)