PRESSURE is beginning to tell towards the bottom of the Premier League, and teams are beginning to panic. But not Hull City. They have quietly gone about their business and haven't really looked in danger at any time during the season.
One point is all that's needed to secure top-flight football for another year and, for me, Steve Bruce must field his strongest side possible before they are mathematically safe and over the line.
There's been a lot of talk about the FA Cup final and whether Matty Fryatt and Sone Aluko should be getting a start ready for their expected involvement in it.
However, the team that takes the field today I am sure will include Nikica Jelavic and Shane Long, and rightly so.
Scoring two vital goals last week at Fulham, they will not want to be overlooked as the Tigers inch ever closer to the finish line.
You could see they were hungry to get on the ball being 2-0 down, and they were unstoppable at Craven Cottage towards the end of that game. City need the same desire from the pair this afternoon at Villa Park, which is a very tough place to go.
With safety almost there, the FA Cup is now probably in the back of most of the squad's minds. But Bruce can't afford to have £14m sat on the bench to give game-time to the eligible players.
Having said that, the likes of Aluko, Fryatt and Yannick Sagbo will be itching to get on the field as much as possible before the Wembley showpiece on May 17.
George Boyd and Maynor Figueroa will also be looking to impress before travelling South to face Arsenal, as they know they have a few wrongs to right when they take to the Wembley pitch for a second time.
It only takes a few results this weekend to not go your way, and the Tigers could well be looking over their shoulder again. They won't want to be doing that when they are in such a great position to secure their top-flight status today.
Football is a squad game, and City can be thankful they have strength in depth, especially up front in attack.
Switching focus back to today's clash, City will go to a Villa side that hasn't exactly pulled up any trees this season. It's not hard to see why either. They are looking like relegation candidates, especially after their 4-1 loss at Swansea last week.
Paul Lambert is under pressure at the club to deliver, and will look towards the experienced and speedy Gabby Agbonlahor to pierce the Tigers' defence.
However, City's back-line has been the key to their success this season as much as the strikers who were signed in January have been.
On the flip side, Villa's weakness is their back-line, and I think Long could be in line for a field-day running at the Villa defenders. His speed was there to witness against Fulham and he'll do the same again.
What City can't do is take Villa as lightly as they did the Cottagers.
A draw will be enough for the Tigers and while they'll be going all out for the three points, I think a draw, and survival, is on the cards.
Curtis Davies is my player of the season
It has been a record-breaking season for the Tigers, and no-one could have predicted the success in the FA Cup before a ball was kicked.
It's a huge achievement for the players and the club in general, and I'm sure they'll be wanting to toast a fantastic season by lifting a trophy.
But there'll be a few toasts on Wednesday night when the club host their Player of the Year awards.
For me, there is only one winner who is bound to run away with the big honour, and that's Curtis Davies.
He's taken the responsibility of the captaincy role and led by example at the back for City this season time and time again.
Davies will be the first to tell you that he's not great on the ball, but it's his pace and aerial presence that makes him stand head and shoulders above anyone else.
Tom Huddlestone is another that's wowed the Tigers fans this season. He's had a dip in form – which I'll put down to losing his hair – but proved time and time again how valuable he is to have in the squad.
David Meyler has made a few headlines for some of the wrong reasons this campaign, but he's not let the Alan Pardew incident affect his game. He's banged in some crucial goals for City and he'd be in my top three for sure.
However, the sideshow to the Premier League is the talk of the town, and City's cup heroes should be honoured with some kind of award.
The likes of Matty Fryatt, who continues to plug away and give his all despite not being played in the league, have proven their worth.
He won't win Player of the Year, but a special mention should go to him on the night.
The beauty of the FA Cup is that you can give your fringe players some vital game time, and City have shown that with the right balance in the squad, anybody can go on and achieve great things like they have.
• Aston Villa v Hull City: Team news and preview
