Curtis Davies fears Hull's form against the Premier League's leading teams could put the brakes on Aston Villa's attempts to consolidate their top-four spot.

Villa are clear favourites tonight to overcome a Hull side who have won only one of their last 10 League games after a fine start to the season.

But Phil Brown's team took three points at Arsenal earlier in the campaign, as well as drawing 2-2 with Liverpool at Anfield and suffering a narrow 4-3 defeat by Manchester United, and Davies knows Villa must be on their guard.

The defender said: "The Hull game is tricky, especially in the light of two heavy defeats against Manchester City and Sunderland.

"They could easily bite back as they have done well against the big clubs. We have to be very wary of a side who have suffered an injury to their pride.

"We now need to keep doing everything we have done already this season. We have played very well for the first half of the season but we know that it is no use slowing down in the second half."

Villa have looked capable of upsetting the Premier League's "big four" and clinching a place in next season's Champions League.

Their 2-2 draw with Arsenal on Boxing Day proved Martin O'Neill's men can live with the strongest teams in the country, and Davies is confident Villa can maintain their excellent form.

The 23-year-old continued: "We are in our current position because we deserve it. It was a massive result for us against Arsenal and a huge boost for us."

Hull manager Phil Brown's decision to stage his half-time team talk in front of the travelling fans during the 5-1 defeat at City left supporters worrying it could damage players' morale.

But goalkeeper Boaz Myhill insisted: "Players will react differently to different situations but it has given us renewed impetus to put on a good performance in front of our fans at home."

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