Defiant message from Hull City's dressing room as stern warning issued

Hull City defender Semi Ajayi says the Tigers' dismal performance at Fulham must be a one-off, and cannot be allowed to happen again.

City were beaten 1-0 at Fulham, but in truth, the scoreline flattered Sergej Jakirovic's men, who produced what their boss described as their worst display since he took charge in June 2025.

The Tigers are not back in Premier League action until Sunday when they host Brentford at the MKM Stadium, and while the manner of their display will leave a mark, he says it cannot be allowed to define them just seven games into the new campaign.

"It's about how we bounce back, so all our focus is on being much better for the coming games. One hundred per cent (a week to get it out of their system). This can't happen again, and we'll be doing everything to make sure that that's the case."

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While Fulham, without a league win before the visit of City, played well, the Tigers contributed to their own problems. "They were brilliant," Ajayi continued. "These are the levels that we need to get to, and we need to be on our A game every single week. If we're five per cent off, that's what will happen."

Ajayi was asked if a lack of desire was an issue for his side, but was keen to stress that it wasn't the case. "There's no way we didn't want it; they were just better than us," he added. "We've had a good start, but we need to carry on. We need to put it behind us as quickly as possible and focus on the rest of the season."

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