'Means a lot' - Chelsea star Liam Delap issues Hull City message after triple assist in 4-0 drubbing | OneFootball

Liam Delap paid tribute to his former club Hull City after visiting the MKM Stadium with Chelsea.

Liam Delap has delivered a message to his former Hull City colleagues and Tigers supporters after visiting the MKM Stadium with Chelsea on Friday night.

The striker played a key role in the Blues' 4-0 win in East Yorkshire, notching three assists as his side progressed to the fifth round of the FA Cup in comprehensive fashion.

Delap previously represented Hull, then on loan from Manchester City, in the 2023/24 season, scoring eight goals and producing two assists in 31 Championship appearances, in what was his best loan stint away from the Etihad Stadium after underwhelming at both Stoke City and Preston North End.

He then of course went on to impress for Ipswich Town, which led to his £30 million move to Stamford Bridge, and the 23-year-old will hope to become a more regular goalscorer for Chelsea under the stewardship of his old Tigers boss, Liam Rosenior.

Liam Delap issues message to Hull City supporters as Chelsea earn big FA Cup win

Hull have now endured a three-game winless run across all competitions following their defeat to Chelsea, whereas the Blues are now unbeaten in three.

And taking to Instagram after the West London club's victory against his former side, Delap wrote: "Important win. On to the next. Enjoyed seeing some familiar faces in a place that means a lot to my journey, too."

Delap showed plenty of character on Friday, as he was involved in a bizarre incident in the first half, when he inadvertently thought that his shot had crossed the line and opened the scoring, before failing to fire home the rebound, but went on to play an influential role in Chelsea's win.

Hull City must not let Chelsea defeat demoralise them amid promotion push

Hull's FA Cup clash with Rosenior's men was a hotly anticipated fixture among Tigers supporters, but ultimately resulted in their heaviest defeat of the season, predominantly because of Pedro Neto's hat-trick.

Sergej Jakirovic's men have now conceded seven goals in their last two games, having been beaten 3-2 by Bristol City in the Championship on 7 February.

However, the Tigers remain fourth in the second tier with just 15 league fixtures remaining.

Therefore, they must view their Chelsea defeat in isolation, as they were outclassed by the current Club World Cup champions, which can happen to teams significantly better than the MKM Stadium outfit.

Hull are currently just five points adrift of second-place Coventry City, so achieving automatic promotion to the Premier League remains a strong possibility.

Furthermore, the Sky Blues have been in poor form lately, enduring defeats more often than they have endured victories since the turn of the year, which has ensured that Ipswich Town, Hull, and Millwall are all within touching distance of Frank Lampard's men.

Coventry face league leaders Middlesbrough this Monday, and the likes of the Tigers will hope to see the West Midlands club suffer yet another poor result following last weekend's goalless draw with Oxford United.

Meanwhile, Jakirovic's side face Queens Park Rangers next Saturday, and will search for their first victory since their 1-0 triumph at Blackburn Rovers on 31 January.