Hull City climbed out of the relegation zone for the first time since October as they came from behind to earn a crucial victory against relegation rivals Middlesbrough. Alvaro Negredo put Middlesbrough ahead at the KCOM Stadium in just the fifth minute, sliding in to convert Adama Traore's cross. But Hull - who were excellent throughout - equalised nine minutes later when Lazar Markovic scrambled the ball home following Andrew Robertson's deflected cross. Marco Silva's side were then ahead on the 27th minute when Oumar Niasse coolly finished from Abel Hernandez's headed knock-down.

Six minutes later Hernandez scored Hull's third, side-footing home from Kamil Grosicki's cross before Boro controversially pulled a goal back minutes before half-time. Ben Gibson directed a corner towards goal and Marten de Roon headed home from an offside position inside the six-yard box. Hull were not put off however, controlling much of the second half, and scored their fourth when Harry Maguire powerfully headed in a Robertson free-kick. The Tigers move above Swansea into 17th in the table, two points clear of Paul Clement's Swans and seven ahead of Middlesbrough in 19th.

Hull were bottom when Marco Silva took over in January but now a fifth win under the Portuguese takes them out of the drop zone. All five of those wins have come at the KCOM Stadium where Silva has taken 16 points from a possible 18. The Hull boss also stretched his unbeaten home record to 40 games, a run that includes his time at former clubs Estoril, Sporting Lisbon and Olympiakos. Hull played fluently throughout, having 17 shots on goal, with Silva labelling it their best performance since his arrival at the club. The Tigers four-man midfield plus starting strikers Oumar Niasse and Abel Hernandez all impressed while the team also reacted well to Middlesbrough's two goals - one early and one controversial - when other teams could have crumbled.