Hull City vs Crystal Palace - Hull hunt new recruits for Premier League survival bid as Palace arrive in town

Hull will raid the January transfer market to give manager Mike Phelan every chance of keeping the Tigers in the Premier League.

The Tigers host Crystal Palace this weekend while sitting in the division's bottom three having won just one league game since August.

Long-term injuries have stripped the Tigers down to the bare bones, although midfielder Shaun Maloney could return on Saturday after a back problem.

Phelan has his eyes on recruits next month, and said: "We're working very, very hard - so are a lot of other clubs out there.

"All the players that are being put to us, and the players we are looking at, are also being looked at by many others. It's competitive. We need to try and strike quickly if we can, strike early.

"My owner is in discussions with people. It's just a case of wait and see. We have games before that, if we can get deals done early January then that would be terrific. It may be the end of January.

"We're in the process of it, we have some targets, hopefully we can get them over the line."

Victory over Palace could lift Hull clear of the relegation zone for the first time in seven weeks.

Phelan said: "We're all well aware that opportunities come along and you have to improve and take them."

Palace manager Alan Pardew has challenged his players to produce more of the same after the Eagles ended a wretched run of six straight league defeats with a 3-0 win over Southampton at Selhurst Park last Saturday.

Palace will have midfielder Yohan Cabaye back from suspension.

Pardew said: "We are all finding it difficult to turn the top teams over, so the rest of us are fighting amongst ourselves. That level between the bottom and middle-tier teams is down to fine margins to get results," Pardew said.

"A win is gold dust in this division at the moment."

With forward Connor Wickham sidelined by a long-term knee injury, Pardew accepts his squad is light heading into the new year, and he too could be busy in the transfer market.

Pardew added: "We will be hunting in a big market, and hopefully we get the one that fits for us."