Hull vs Liverpool preview - Bruce has sympathy over tickets

Posted Monday, April 27, 2015 by PA

Hull boss Steve Bruce has called for Barclays Premier League officials to act to curb rising ticket prices ahead of his side's KC Stadium clash with Liverpool on Tuesday.

Visiting fans' group Spirit of Shankly is organising a boycott of the game in protest at the B#50 admission charge, and Bruce echoed his Liverpool counterpart Brendan Rodgers in backing its right to do so.

Bruce said: "I feel sorry for the supporters of big clubs who have to dig deep every week and I hope when the new TV money comes into play the Premier League can remember football does belong to supporters.

"I know how difficult it is for people here at our club to find the money to bring their two kids to a football match and we have to make sure with all the money washing around we give something back to the fans.

"We have to remember the average man in the street because they are the lifeblood of football and I think if the Premier League set certain rules we would all have to abide by them."

Despite a procession of top clubs still to visit the KC Stadium this season, Bruce believes his side have given themselves a fighting chance of survival after Saturday's potentially priceless 2-0 win at Crystal Palace.

And Bruce admitted what pleased him almost as much as the result was the way in which his players rose to the occasion, which could augur well for the nail-biting end-of-season run-in to come.

Bruce said: "It's like playing in a derby game - you forget about playing the game and just get caught up in the occasion and sometimes it can grab hold of you.

"I remember my first experience was an FA Cup semi-final and I was hopeless - the occasion got to me and I couldn't put one foot in front of the other.

"You have got to take the pressure off and remember how to play and that's what pleased me at the weekend - we didn't look in any trouble and we played without fear."

Liverpool, fifth in the table, were held to a frustrating goalless draw at West Brom on Saturday but Manchester United's loss to Everton has kept their Champions League hopes alive.

Victory at the KC Stadium would take the Reds back within four points of fourth-placed United with both sides then having four more games to play.

Rodgers said: "It will be a tough game away at Hull, they had a good result at the weekend.

"But for us the idea is to go in and see if we can get the victory and keep putting as much pressure as we possibly can on the teams above.

"We can only focus on ourselves but we saw last year lots of changes can take place in the last five games or so. We just have to be prepared to give everything to finish as high as we can."

Rodgers is unsure if striker Daniel Sturridge will be fit enough to play again this season.

Sturridge, who has endured an injury-plagued campaign, has missed the last three games with a hip problem and will again be absent.

Rodgers said: "It has been difficult for Daniel. Daniel is a good lad who obviously wants to play and be working and helping the team.

"But it has just been one of those seasons where he has been very unfortunate and he has missed out. We are going to have to monitor that day by day and see where he is at.

"When he has been fit he has been brilliant for the team. It is just the key now to see if we can get him back fit and consistently playing. We will see if that is going to be this season or the pre-season."