Hull City and Huddersfield Town have contrasting aims in first all-Yorkshire meeting of 2023

Despite looking over their shoulders in the first half of 2022-23, Hull City - who are starting to get their act together and look the part under Liam Rosenior - are now entitled to turn their attentions towards the top end of the table despite being positioned in 16th spot ahead of the weekend's action.

Last summer, vice-chairman Tan Kesler spoke about the Tigers' aim in 2022-23 to be among the play-off contenders. It looked fanciful.

The fact they are in lower mid-table and still have a fighting chance of achieving that - Kesler reaffirmed that mission recently - says everything about the tightest Championship play-off race in years.

Just six points separate Hull, who have lost just once in eight league games under Rosenior, from fifth placed Middlesbrough.

If their top-six bid is to harden, their home form must improve - they have not picked up three points in seven league matches since October 5.

Rosenior remains comfortable about the situation. His mantra is that good performances will eventually rewarded.

Left-back Callum Elder said: "One thing the manager said when he came in was 'don't pay any attention to the home form.'

"When we get the system right and consistently perform well within the system, we will get the results off the back of the way we play at home - or whereever we are.

"It is not something that has been brought up. Moving forward, Saturday is a Yorkshire derby and adds a bit of an element to it. But no matter who we are playing, we want to win the game and I am sure we will put another good account of ourselves in the system the manager wants us to play in.

"Whoever is on that field will fight for the club to win an important match."

It is also certainly an important match for Huddersfield, a side in relegation trouble who possess the worst away record in the division and now have three successive fixtures on the road at Hull, Blackpool and Coventry City.

That said, Town - who have brought in Fulham winger Anthony Knockaert on loan - have held the Indian sign over Hull in recent times and have beaten them in their last five matches, including a 2-0 success in the reverse fixture at the John Smith's Stadium.

On the day, City looked a team of individuals as opposed to a cohesive unit. But times have changed.

Rosenior has provided clarity to his players - something that his predecessor Shota Arveladze palpably struggled at - and they all know their roles and his squad are buying into his ethos.

Elder continued: "The one big thing that the manager wants is an identity.

"Not just physically in the way we play football, but an identity in that no matter who plays, your attitude to the game and role, in and out of possession, creates a fundamental feeling around the group that we can achieve successful things together.

"It's great to be a part of.”