FOR the past month and more Hull City have felt in a constant state of flux. Injuries, suspensions and loss of form has led Steve Bruce to call upon 24 different players since last winning a Premier League game and still the enforced changes continue.
Jake Livermore's one-match suspension ensures he misses this afternoon's trip to Sunderland and, with Mohamed Diame and Tom Huddlestone also out, leaves Bruce without what was once considered his first-choice midfield.
These are trying times for the City boss but at least he has Ahmed Elmohamady.
The trusted right wing-back has become the last remaining constant in a troubled campaign and today is expected to make his 74th consecutive league start for the Tigers.
Elmohamady's proud unbroken record dates back to February 2013 and since first arriving at the KC Stadium on loan from Sunderland, today's opponents, the Egyptian has started all but two of the 98 league games that have followed.
"I just look after myself, keep everything right," said Elmohamady, who has already clocked up 107 appearances for the Tigers.
"I got married and this was a huge thing for me, just settled everything down. I eat well and train very hard and do everything right.
"I never went out. Maybe occasionally with the lads for lunch or dinner but the huge thing is you have to look after yourself and keep everything right."
Elmohamady credits a settled family life with wife Heba and their 16-month-old son as the secret behind his status as the only ever-present in the City camp and that same tight-knit unit has helped retain a positive outlook during the Tigers' bleak winter.
City are without a win in 10 games and are 19th in the Premier League as they head to Sunderland.
A 1-0 defeat to Swansea last weekend was the latest instalment of a frustrating campaign and cranked up the pressure to find that overdue win.
Few even dare contemplate the mood if the winless run was extended to 12 in the coming days.
Elmohamady, in keeping with his character, is still a beacon of positivity. Just a few weeks after suggesting the Tigers' aim should be the top 10, he has no fear of relegation.
"I never worry. If you're a footballer, you have to have confidence and like working hard. You can't worry.
"Of course, you look at the league table and sometimes you're disappointed with your position because the players we've got and the manager we have, we should be in a different position. Sometimes it happens in football but we have to keep our confidence, it's a big thing.
"We have to believe in our ability to get the result. To get that first result would be huge for us.
"For me, we're unlucky. Nothing's wrong, we're just unlucky in football. The goal we conceded against Swansea, we were unlucky.
"We just need to keep our confidence high and go to Sunderland like we did last year."
Recent meetings with Sunderland should certainly brighten the mood. In the three reunions that have followed Elmohamady's permanent £2m move from the Stadium of Light 18 months ago, City have won on every occasion.
After 1-0 winning at the KC Stadium last October, the Tigers completed a league double with a 2-0 victory on Wearside in February. A month later a hat-trick was completed with a 3-0 home win in the FA Cup quarter-final.
Sunderland's place in Elmohamady's career remains a key one, though. The Black Cats were the winger's first Premier League club when joining from Egyptian side ENPPI in 2010 and, under Steve Bruce, provided his big break.
"The first year was good for me with the manager as well," he explained.
"We had a great year to finish 10th, so I have some good memories there. I still have some friends there.
"I went there last year and that was a good game for me. We're going this year of course it's a big thing to play against your old club.
"You have to just give 200 per cent to show everyone what you have.
"It's a huge game for us, not just me, for everyone. We're looking forward to this one, it's a big game."
Elmohamady's faith in Bruce remains strong. "The manager brought me from Egypt to Sunderland.
"He has a faith in me. I've been with him for five years and he's been a good manager for me.
"He's one of the best managers I have worked with. He's very clever and he knows everything about the game. He's been very important for me."
As a former native of the north-east, Elmohamady also knows the lift Sunderland will have enjoyed in the last week. Claiming only their third win of the season, Gus Poyet's men snatched a dramatic last-minute victory against Newcastle United at St James' Park on Sunday.
Such a lift was of little benefit last season when City twice brought Sunderland back to earth following derby wins and Elmohamady wants to spoil the party again ahead of hosting Leicester on Sunday.
He said: "They are high on confidence because they beat Newcastle but we went there last year after they beat Newcastle as well. It will be a good thing for us to go there again and get the result.
"As a group, we have some great players who have played in the Premier League for a few years. We're all together. We concentrate 200 percent on the next game because it's huge for us.
"The next two games, 48 hours, is huge for us. If we get the six points, you move up and it will be huge for us to start the next part of the season right.
"You can only concentrate about football because these two games are very important for us. Six points would be massive."
