Tigers new boys breathing life into season – Harry Maguire

Hull City defender Harry Maguire has heaped praise on his new Tigers teammates and believes the new recruits’ influence has been the crucial factor in his side’s recent resurgence in form.

Since appointing Marco Silva as head coach last month, Hull have only lost one of their four league games; comfortably beating Liverpool at the weekend after holding Manchester United to a goalless draw at Old Trafford a few days before.

Silva brought several new faces to the Kingston Communications Stadium during the transfer window, including Italy international Andrea Ranocchia, former Sunderland midfielder Alfred N’Diaye and Polish winger Kamil Grosicki.

All three have already emerged as key players and their commitment and work ethic has impressed Maguire.

“They’ve all bought in really well to what we are doing,” the former Sheffield United man said.

Photo by Nigel Roddis/Getty Images

“You look at the two who made their debuts at the weekend [Grosicki and N’Diaye] and they put in great shifts for the team.

“N’Diaye got the first goal, but both of them put in performances that thoroughly merited being on the winning team.

“Ranocchia was brilliant against Manchester United when he came on and he has settled in nicely.

“It’s like he has been here for months. As a defender, it’s never nice when you’re not down to start and then all of a sudden you have to do a quick warm-up and play from the start as Andrea had to do against Liverpool.

“But he put in a great performance – very composed – and didn’t put a foot wrong.”