City host the Foxes on Tuesday night in the first of two home games this week looking for a third straight win
Hull City head coach Sergej Jakirovic believes the 1-0 win over Sheffield United in their last MKM Stadium outing shows the Tigers are moving in the right direction as they look to banish the woes of last term.
That belief was further reinforced by their terrific 3-2 win at Birmingham City in a fiery encounter on Saturday, which saw his side claim a maiden away success this term and secure successive victories for the first time in more than 12 months.
City go into Tuesday night’s visit of Leicester City with three wins, a draw and one defeat from their first five outings in front of a home support who are enjoying watching their side play once again after the struggles previously.
Last term, City’s dismal home record saw them at the bottom of the league with just five wins from 23. It took until Christmas for them to claim a second win, and the third didn’t arrive until March as they battled against the drop.
Making the MKM Stadium a fortress was one of Jakirovic’s first tasks when he arrived in the summer, and so far, the signs are promising as the Tigers prepare for two home outings in the space of a few days, starting with the Foxes before Charlton Athletic arrive on Saturday.
The manner of the win over the Blades was crucial, Jakirovic says, given how gritty it needed to be, while Ivor Pandur’s late penalty save was another key factor.
“It’s a very important victory for us,” he said of that win against the Blades. “I think we have this home feeling now at the MKM Stadium.
“This is our home, our house, so it will not be easy to take points from here, and I liked how we played and with the passion, with power, with strength.
“Of course, you have some moments where you need some luck, and also for Ivor, who saved the penalty, which is great for him and for us as well, for confidence and everything for the future.”
Unfortunately for the Croatian, he will not be on the touchline on Tuesday night as he serves a one-match ban for collecting three yellow cards, the last of which came during the dramatic scenes at St Andrew’s.
“I will watch from the tribune (press box). Like, Luis Enrique at Paris Saint-Germain,” he explained. “So I will see everything. I have Marco (Salatovic) and Deano (Dean Holden) and all the staff, so we will prepare the game normally, and we will try to win.
“Leicester is an excellent team for me. Maybe they’re in the top three. We must be better, much better, but we play differently at home. This is something that is bothering me because I want to play away games in the MKM Stadium. We will prepare everything, and then we will see.
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