The Tigers were promoted through the play-offs after finishing sixth in the Championship last season, and were widely tipped as the favourites for relegation from the Premier League.

However, they have started really well, sitting 10th in the table with 10 points from two wins, two defeats and four draws, bloodying the noses of teams like Manchester United, Chelsea, Everton and Brentford.

O’Neil knows that Hull are a tough nut to crack, especially up on Humberside, but expects the Blues to put them under ‘a lot of pressure’ to try and get a result.

“I have a lot of respect for Hull and what they're doing,” he said.

“I think they have a way that they do it, and I don't think it matters what way that is. They're very, very good at it.

“You don't get nine games into a season and 46 games through a Championship season sort of getting away with stuff. They're not.

The Tigers won promotion to the Premier League via last season's play-offs (Image: PA)

“They have a style that causes teams problems. They've caused almost every team problems. I've watched all of their games now this season, and they've caused every team problems.

“They're direct. They're hard-working. They win loads of duels. They use [Oli] McBurnie a lot. They defend with a lot of numbers.

“It's going to be a tough game. It's a Premier League game. I don't care that they've just been promoted. I don't care that they were promoted through the playoffs.

“They're in the Premier League. They've signed a lot of players, a lot of good players, so it will be a real tough test for us. Away from home in the Premier League is tough.

“I'm expecting us to go there and perform really, really well and show what we are, but I think trying to make it into, ‘oh, let's go and showcase how good we are with a ball and let's dominate possession’ – I mean, we're not PSG or Man City. We're Ipswich. We're newly promoted.

“We're going to go there. We're going to be us. We're going to have a right go at trying to win the football match, put Hull under a lot of pressure and see if we can come away with another big result.”

A match between two newly-promoted sides will always be billed as a six-pointer, with both teams firmly focused on avoiding an immediate return to the second tier.

Hull sit 10th in the Premier League table after eight matches (Image: PA)

That being said, O’Neil wants to look at this game in this same way as previous matches, regardless of narrative leading into it.

“It feels the same as Forest and Fulham and Man City,” he argued. “Just trying to prep a team to try and give us more points than we go with.

“No one in this league is going to give us a thing, so it honestly doesn't matter whether we're playing Hull or Manchester City. This team is prepped to go and compete, to put in a good performance and to respect the opposition and what they can bring.

“Anyone that doesn't respect Hull and what they're doing at this moment needs to have a good look at where they are, what they've produced over the last 55 league games.

“Unbelievable success. That's no fluke. They definitely shouldn't be underestimated by anyone.

“To talk about them in any way apart from a good Premier League team that are sat in the middle of the league would be doing them a disservice.

“I think they've started unbelievably well and we respect that. But we also have big belief in what we can do.”