'Suffer': Tony Mowbray outlines what to expect from Hull City in strong message for Sunderland squad

Hull currently sit just one place and one point above the relegation zone despite an ambitious and expensive summer recruitment drive under new owner Acun Ilicali.

Sunderland could have talismanic striker Ross Stewart back in their squad for the game, but Hull themselves will be boosted by the return of their leading goalscorer Oscar Estupinan.

Mowbray believes that Liam Rosenior has already begun to improve the side after replacing Shota Arveladze shortly before the World Cup break.

As such he won't be reading too much into the Tigers' poor home form this season, and has warned that the Black Cats are likely to face spells in the game without the ball. However, he says his group have already shown this season that they can come through these difficult away games with three valuable points.

"They've got a new manager, he is starting to make an impact on their team - I think Liam is a very bright coach, having come up against him when he was working with Wayne [Rooney] at Derby - they are a football team that are going to try and use the ball and give you some problems," Mowbray said.

"We have to be ready for it and we have been preparing for them, and hopefully we can give them some problems as well.

"Looking at the data on Liam this week, he has improved a lot of stuff regarding possession of the ball, touches in the final third, shots on target. A lot of stuff has improved under Liam and it doesn’t surprise me.

“I watched the game against Watford away and they got a 0-0. It’s tough to go to Watford with the quality of players they have got so you’ve got to say well done for putting such a good performance in. They will be looking to build on that and we have to be mindful of them.

"I feel their position is a bit false because of the focus and the new way of playing that the new manager has brought.

"It's a tough game for us but we've gone to Birmingham recently and we've gone to Huddersfield recently and won, and both of those teams have elements to their game that are difficult to play against.

"We had spells in those games where we were on the back foot and then there were also spells where we were really pushing and scored some really good goals.

"We have to take advantage of the opportunities that come along and we have to be ruthless, and we have to understand that there might be periods of the game where we have to suffer."

Mowbray is not expected to make any major changes to his match day squad, though Bailey Wright and Jewison Bennette are both in contention after their return from the World Cup.

Edouard Michut has travelled with the group but is unlikely to make the bench given his extended absence with a muscle injury.