Hull keep faith with King

Hull City manager Phil Brown has no qualms about playing Marlon King against Liverpool on Saturday after the striker was arrested after being accused of assaulting a woman in a bar.

King, 28, was subsequently bailed and so remains free to play this weekend. The forward, who is on a season-long loan from Premier League rivals Wigan, has scored in Hull's last two games, against Stoke and Middlesbrough, and now has five goals in all this term.

“He has had a problem last weekend which is under police inquiry and it would be wrong of us to talk about it,” Brown said of King.

“But where Marlon is concerned, he has trained all week and has come in, in good spirits.

“As long as that continues he will continue to play the football that he is playing,” the former Bolton assistant manager added.

Hull have been the surprise package of the Premier League season so far and are now sixth in their first term in England's top flight ahead of Saturday's match at Anfield.

“It is a million miles an hour and a great platform to play on, and that brings its problems,” Brown said.

“But where the players are concerned at this football club, their feet are still on the ground and we are going to go to Liverpool with that kind of mentality and attitude to hopefully get something from the game.”

As for King's long-term future, Brown said: “Marlon is on a year-long loan. That could be made more permanent in January but I think that would be a foolish move from our point of view.

“He is pulling up trees at the moment because of the fact he is on a year-long loan.

“Hopefully, come the end of the season, we can secure him on a permanent move, depending on the amount of goals and how well he has played for us.”