Phelan considering Hull job offer after Arsenal defeat

Hull City caretaker manager Mike Phelan says he will sit down with his family to discuss taking the job on a permanent basis after his side lost 4-1 at home to Arsenal.

Phelan has been in charge at the KCOM Stadium since Steve Bruce quit in July, and Phelan has indicated his desire to stay on during Hull’s battling start to the season.

The Tigers had to play with 10 men after Jake Livermore was sent off during the defeat to Arsenal, while Phelan said the offer of the manager’s job was given to him while he was preparing for the game.

“My position is I have been offered the job,” he said.

“It came 48 hours ago when we were in preparation for this game.

“I have time now to sit down with family, have a chat and take it forward.”

The defeat against Arsenal left Hull without a win from their last three Premier League matches, but a haul of seven points from their opening five games of the season has left them comfortably in mid-table, despite having a paper-thin squad.

Phelan acknowledged his side made mistakes that allowed Theo Walcott and Alexis Sanchez to score Arsenal’s third and fourth goals at a time when Hull might have salvaged a point after Robert Snodgrass converted a late penalty.

“We were playing against a top team. It was always going to be difficult once we lost a man and went down to 10 men. Against a team like Arsenal it can fall into their hands but I was pleased with our contribution up to that – we were more than capable of causing Arsenal a few issues.

“We had possession before and after the red card and we kept going. To come back to 2-1 was a good feeling for our guys but unfortunately it didn’t last long enough.

“Our own mistakes caused the problems, giving the ball away for the third and fourth goals. That is where we got punished.”

Livermore was sent off for deliberate handball shortly before half-time, only for Sanchez to miss the ensuing penalty.

Phelan questioned the referee’s decision to show Livermore a straight red, saying: “It was a penalty we can’t grumble about that. I think his arm is there and hit it.

“The problem is, is it a red card? I felt it was a little harsh on the player.”