Afternoon, all. It's Grand National weekend of course, but there is an afternoon of Premier League football to enjoy as well, including a match on Humberside between two fairly safe bets to avoid relegation.

Hull City vs. Swansea City at the KC Stadium is one of five 3.00pm Premier League kickoffs being brought to you live by Sports Mole today, with both teams close to guaranteeing survival.

The Tigers and the Swans are level on 33 points in the table, seven points clear of the relegation zone with most teams having six games to play. One more win should make them very difficult to catch.

LATEST: We have one top-flight game live already, with Manchester City leading Southampton 3-1 in the 12.45pm kickoff. Yaya Toure, Samir Nasri have all scored one apiece at the Etihad Stadium.

Right, back to matters in Lancashire. Team news will be with you shortly...

HULL: Harper; Rosenior, Chester, Davies, Figueroa; Elmohamady; Meyler, Livermore, Boyd; Jelavic, Long

SUBS: Jakupovic, Bruce, Koren, Fryatt, Sagbo, Aluko, Quinn

SWANSEA: Vorm; Rangel, Chico Flores, Williams, Davies; Britton, Shelvey; De Guzman, Routledge, Michu; Bony

SUBS: Tremmel, Taylor, Amat, Canas, Hernandez, Dyer, Lita

George Boyd comes straight back into the Hull side after completing his three-match suspension for spitting at Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart in the Tigers' 2-0 defeat at Eastlands last month.

He comes into midfield to replace Tom Huddlestone, who misses out on the Hull squad for the first time this season after picking up a knock in the final stages of the 1-0 loss to Stoke City last weekend.

Boyd will play wide left, ahead of Maynor Figueroa, who is recalled at the expense of Alex Bruce as his manager father switches to a 4-4-2 formation, having used 5-3-2 often this season.

Those are the only two changes made by the hosts, who continue to name Steve Harper in goal with first-choice stopper Allan McGregor unlikely to play again this term after suffering kidney damage.

Yannick Sagbo is included on the Hull bench at the end of a week in which he was charged by the Football Association for making social media posts relating to the anti-Semitic 'quenelle' gesture.

Former West Bromwich Albion striker Nicolas Anelka was banned for five matches for making the gesture while celebrating a goal earlier this season, but Hull have protested Sagbo's innocence.

Bruce told reporters: "It's difficult with Yannick, we need to use an interpreter. He doesn't speak a lot of English. It's broken. He doesn't understand why he's been charged.

"He thinks 'what have I done wrong?' He tweeted that Nicolas Anelka's a legend. In some people's eyes, he is. That's nothing to do with his gesture. He's been a great player.

"But we've now got into the realms of what offends people and what doesn't. If we have offended anyone, on behalf of the club, I can only apologise."

Swansea manager Garry Monk has the luxury of naming an unchanged team from the one that beat Norwich City 3-0, with defender Kyle Bartley remaining his only senior absentee.

Due to injuries and the need to rotate the squad to deal with the demands of Europe, the Swans have rarely had a settled side this season, but Monk can field what he feels is his strongest XI today.

That includes both Michu and Wilfried Bony, with the Spaniard continuing his return to full fitness following ankle surgery behind a striker who has scored 20 goals in his first season in England.

Bony's performances have reportedly attracted attention from Everton, who may be looking for a Romelu Lukaku replacement in the summer, but Monk has insisted that they won't be forced into selling.

"We want him here, he is an important player for us, and we make sure he knows that," Monk told reporters. "I think he is enjoying his time here. We want him as part of our future to build a team around, and that goes for a number of the players that are here.

"Players who score goals, especially strikers, will always attract interest. That is the way it is. We have never been a selling club - we don't have to sell. We are in a healthy position."

In terms of potential incomings, Monk has revealed this week that they hope to sign Dutch international midfielder Jonathan de Guzman, who scored twice in the win over the Canaries, on a permanent transfer when his second successive season-long loan ends in the summer.

"I would imagine he is a player who is at the top of our list - he is a very good player and he suits how we play," he told reporters. "Technically he is very good, he can play in several positions, and you always want players like that.

"He was my man-of-the-match [against Norwich], his movements and desire to get the ball back in an unfamiliar role were excellent and he was rewarded with two goals.

"He enjoys it here. He has thrived here so he would be an important signing, but we have to speak to the player and see what he thinks."

Around 10 minutes until kickoff at the KC Stadium, where Hull have won their last three away games in all competitions. They have never recorded back-to-back home Premier League wins, though.

HEAD TO HEAD: Only a decade ago, this was a fixture in the fourth tier of English football. This is the first season in which both the Tigers and Swansea have been in the top flight and, earlier in the campaign, they played out a 1-1 draw. Swansea have not won at Hull since 1998 and never at the KC Stadium.

REFEREE WATCH: England's most senior official and their representative at the World Cup in Brazil this summer, Howard Webb, is the man in the middle this afternoon.

ONE TO WATCH: Both teams have potentially very dangerous strike partnerships. Shane Long and Nikica Jelavic have linked up magnificently since arriving at Hull in January. Michu and Bony have not played together as often as Swansea would have liked, but with the Spaniard yet to score since returning from injury, he will be keen to impress this afternoon.

PREDICTION: Hull have been difficult to beat on their own patch this season, but Swansea will be buoyed by their excellent performance last weekend. I'll sit on the fence and plump for a 1-1 draw.

Swansea get us underway at the KC Stadium...

Routledge drifts in from the right flank and dinks over the top for Bony, who had got goalside of Curtis Davies, but stayed onside. His first touch is poor, though, and allows the Hull man to recover.

Swansea earn the first corner of the afternoon and James Chester wins the first ball, flicking clear but only to Jonjo Shelvey on the left edge of the box. He returns a cross into the danger zone and Hull head straight to a white shirt again, only for De Guzman to drag a half volley ten yards wide.

Michu takes his turn to have an early sighter, but gets it horribly wrong. Routledge's clever first-time layoff from De Guzman's cross sets the Spaniard up nicely, but he blazes high into the stands.

SAVE! Figueroa whips in an absolute beauty of a cross for Long at the back post and the Irishman tries to cushion the ball into the net, only for Vorm to make a great stop moving to his left. Long may have been offside, but the flag stayed down. Figueroa's delivery was the stuff striker's dreams are made of.

Swansea appears as if they may have a chance to counter when Michu shoves Meyler off it, but the rusty Spaniard gets the ball stuck under his feet before a tame pass is cut out by Elmohamady.

Vorm scrambles to hook the ball away from the line after it bounced off the leg of Ashley Williams towards the Swansea goal. Referee Webb had already given handball against Jelavic, though.

Excellent wing play from Routledge, who knocks the ball past Rosenior with a very clever second touch and then shows a great turn of pace to leave the Hull full-back in his wake. The delivery with the outside of his right foot is also very good, but Michu and Bony were a bit behind the play and Davies clears, via the head of Rosenior, for a corner. Monk believes that Routledge is producing the best football of his career at present and that is perhaps an example as to why he feels that way.

SHOT! Elmohamady pings the ball into the feet of Long, whose control is excellent. He spins to release Boyd, whose drilled, low 20-yard shot is well held at the near post by Vorm.

Bony's hold up play really is excellent. His strength and stature make him very difficult to get in front of and he holds off Davies with ease on the halfway line. An attempted through pass to Routledge, who had made a burst in from the left, is intercepted by the tracking Chester, though.

Hull are enjoying a good few minutes in the Swansea half. What may worry the Tigers is their lack of home goals. They bagged six against Fulham, but have only scored 13 in 15 apart from that.

Chester makes a 60-yard charge from his own half into the Swansea box and even though he is thwarted by Williams, Hull eventually win a corner which is badly overhit by the left foot of Boyd.

CHANCE! Routledge's first-time pass is weighted beautifully into the path of De Guzman, who gets in front of Figueroa coming in off the right. He is all by himself, so checks back to shoot on his left foot, but never looks comfortable and Figueroa recovers to make an important block.

CHANCE! Two good opportunities for Swansea in the space of two minutes! Routledge was the architect last time, but on this occasion is released through the middle by Bony. Chester's attempted interception kindly deflects the ball into the path of Routledge, who tries to chip Harper first time from 20 yards, but he does not get enough elevation on his effort and the Hull goalkeeper makes an easy catch.

Boyd creates a bit of space to bend a cross around Rangel and into the six-yard box, where Chico stretches to pip Jelavic to the ball. In the moments after the resultant corner, Davies wriggles free of Bony to win a header, which he can only glance harmlessly wide at the far stick.

CLOSE! Hull have a free kick in a promising position, 25 yards out just to the left of centre. With set-piece specialist Huddlestone missing today, Jelavic steps up and gets the ball up and over the wall, only to see it drop a couple of feet over the crossbar. Decent effort, but Vorm did not look concerned.

Hull's crossing from the left wing continues to be excellent. Two balls from Boyd nearly provide Long with half chances, the second of which he loses in the sun and flicks behind for a goal kick.

Bony is again too strong for Davies, but this time his touch lets him down. He is given a second bite at the cherry courtesy of Meyler's miskicked clearance, but drags a shot wide from 20 yards.

Boyd gives Hull the lead with a goal on his return to the team! Bruce said this week that the winger was "keen to make up for lost time" following his three-match ban, and you can tell that here with the desire that he shows to climb above Rangel and head home from eight yards. Elmohamady hung a cross up high, and Boyd simply wanted it more than the Swansea full-back, who looks to his goalkeeper after seeing the ball hit the back of the net. He rightly feels that Vorm should have come out to claim.

BOOKING: Shelvey has the odd rash tackle in his locker, and he is a bit late going in on Long in the middle of the Swansea half. He becomes the first player cautioned this afternoon.

We are now entering the ONE minute of first-half stoppage time on Humberside...

Hull get their noses in front at the break courtesy of a goal from Boyd on his return from the team. He may not have even been playing this afternoon had it been for an injury to Tom Huddlestone, but Bruce handed him a start and has been rewarded with a half-time lead over Swansea.

Boyd put his recent suspension firmly behind him when he climbed above Rangel at the back post to head past Vorm, who probably should have come off his line to claim the high cross from Elmohamady.

The hosts' lead is probably deserved considering that they had previously tested Vorm twice through Boyd and Long, whose close-range side-footed volley was kept out brilliantly by the Dutchman.

Swansea also had their chances, but both Routledge and De Guzman, who was so clinical in front of goal last Saturday, failed to make the most of promising sights of Harper's goal.

LATEST: 1-0 is a popular scoreline so far in the Premier League today. As well as Hull leading by a single goal, so do Manchester United at Newcastle United, West Bromwich Albion at Norwich City and Crystal Palace at Cardiff City. If things stay the same, it would be a disastrous day for the relegation-threatened Bluebirds. Elsewhere, rock-bottom Fulham and Aston Villa are goalless in the West Midlands.

We are back underway at the KC Stadium, and I have news of a half-time change...

SUBSTITUTION: Trailing manager Monk brings off two-goal man from last weekend, De Guzman, in favour of a more natural source of width on the right flank in the form of Nathan Dyer.

Chico, who has swapped the ponytail for a shorter trim, tries to shield the ball out of play under pressure from Jelavic but knocks it out for a corner while complaining dramatically that he was fouled.

Michu tries to release Dyer inside Figueroa. Dyer is very quick, but Figueroa is sharp enough to stay with him and make a great sliding tackle to prevent the winger running through on goal.

Britton buys a free kick from referee Webb by dangling his leg out to make contact with Meyler. Shelvey chooses to cross but it is a very poor one which is thumped clear by the first man.

Once more Boyd's delivery from the left is into a brilliant area for Long to attack. Chico stays tight to the striker, though and prevents him making contact, before Williams heads clear the second cross.

Figueroa receives treatment for a head injury after colliding with Rangel. He is down for a couple of minutes and forced to leave the field, before returns just in time to pinch the ball off the toes of Michu as the Spaniard entered the area following a one-two with Dyer.

Swansea's wingers have switched flanks, with the still lively Routledge now operating on the right. He spins away from Figueroa, who goes through the back of the wide man to concede a free kick.

Shelvey drives forward down the right flank, which has been vacated for him by Routledge pushing Figueroa to ground, an incident which was not spotted by referee Webb. Shelvey might have continued his charge into the area, but instead stands up a cross which Davies gets up to head away.

SUBSTITUTION: Bruce watches the hour mark pass on the clock and then quickly makes a change. Long is the man withdrawn as Aluko comes on to partner Jelavic up front.

SUBSTITUTION: Swansea follow suit, with Monk making a change which he hopes will improve what has been a pretty flat second-half display thus far. Michu is obviously still some way from match fitness and is sacrificed for Pablo Hernandez, who will occupy the same role behind Bony.

We have had a pretty quiet last 10 minutes in this match. Swansea need something to happen, which makes me question why they are not feeding Routledge at every opportunity. He has been their best player by some distance, but has been starved off the ball since moving to the right wing.

SHOT! Hernandez finds the feet of Bony 18 yards out and the Ivorian, with his back to goal, lays off for Shelvey, who adjusts his feet to hit a decent, but tame shot straight at Harper.

CHANCE! Rangel makes a great overlapping run on the right to create some space for Routledge to pick out Dyer, who meets the pass with an awful shot which dribbles wide of Harper's right-hand post. Such a poor effort after he had been found 20 yards out and in space.

BOOKING: Hernandez is yellow carded for a sliding lunge on Meyler, but clearly feels that the Hull man should have been punished too, claiming that the midfielder deliberately caught his head with a trailing foot when trying to leapfrog the tackle. I am not sure that was the case myself.

SUBSTITUTION: Maybe Bruce and his staff still have concerns over Figueroa's earlier head injury as the Honduran has been taken off and replaced by Robert Koren. It appears to be an attacking change on paper, but the versatile Elmohamady is more than capable of dropping in at full-back.

Hernandez's touch is lovely to collect a pass from Davies and he then shows more good feet to free himself of Livermore. His shot is not so good, though, as he pulls it wide from 22 yards.

Ten minutes plus stoppage time remaining now at the KC Stadium. Can Swansea find an equaliser, or will Hull cling on for a win which will take them to the pretty safe ground of 36 points?

CHANCE! Two simple passes through the middle cut Hull open. Shelvey takes up a good position in the centre of the park to collect the ball from Rangel, and then plays in Bony. His first touch is excellent and sets him up for a 10-yard shot from an angle, but the Ivorian slices over the crossbar.

SUBSTITUTION: Monk rolls the dice for the final time, sacrificing Britton to bring on an extra forward in the form of Leroy Lita, who makes only his second Premier League appearance in two years.

Dyer breaks forward down the right and tries to slip in Bony. The ball bounces off him and nearly falls to Lita, but Harper stays brave to pounce on it and takes a blow to the head in the process.

Rangel stands a cross up for Bony, who had shaken off Chester, to control the ball on his chest but his tame volley of the dropping ball is straight at Harper, who has recovered from his knock.

SUBSTITUTION: Bruce makes his final time-wasting change by swapping Jelavic for Yannick Sagbo as we enter the first of FOUR minutes of second-half stoppage time.

Swansea have dropped the passing football and reduced themselves to hitting target man Bony. He backpedals to try meet a Rangel cross, but cannot get over it and heads high of the goal.

Shelvey, who has already been booked, goes through the back of Koren. He is lucky not to be shown a second yellow, but referee Webb lets him get away with it considering the game is almost over.

A happy return for George Boyd then, whose goal on his first appearance since completing a three-match suspension was all that separated Hull and Swansea at the KC Stadium today.

It is a massive result for the Tigers, who move onto 36 points, nine clear of the relegation zone with five games remaining Swansea don't have enough yet to feel absolutely safe, though.

That's it from me. Thanks for joining Sports Mole this afternoon, and be sure to stay with us for live coverage of the Premier League's evening kick off between Chelsea and Stoke. Until next time...

That's it from me. Thanks for joining Sports Mole this afternoon, and be sure to join us for coverage of the Premier League's evening kickoff between Chelsea and Stoke. Until next time...