If last week’s last-gasp defeat to Arsenal was demoralising, then Saturday’s defeat at Portsmouth was simply heart-wrenchingly unbearable. 2-1 up with five minutes to go, Hull City’s porous defence coughed up two goals in three minutes, witlessly failing to take even a point from the league’s bottom team.

To lose in such a way to on paper the worst team in the league was just monumentally hard to take. Caleb Folan’s second goal of the game looked to have wrapped up the points for City, but a late free kick from O’Hara and even later finish from Kanu after some shocking defending game Pompey the points.

Pompey celebrate ©Getty Images

All three Portsmouth goals were from terrible Tigers defending, and the sad truth was that every time the ball went near the City penalty area, the team looked vulnerable. That tendency always looked to be the case, even in a nearby pub at 2.30pm.

Iain Dowie’s first team selection caused a range of emotions, from a raised eyebrow to all-out fury. I hoped it’d never see Paul McShane at centre half for Hull City. Unfortunately, Dowie decided the Irishman was the one to step into the breach, despite having Liam Cooper, a natural replacement for the injured Zayatte, on the bench.

This was my major gripe with Dowie’s appointment. Any manager needs time to bed in, and assess the squad. Dowie doesn’t have that time. Instead, he seemed to pick his team on reputation, fielding Marney despite having the on-form Cairney, or the more physical presence of Olofinjana available. City looked lightweight in midfield as a result, and were always struggling to control the game.

The big, albeit enforced change up front worked to an extent. Caleb Folan enjoyed his first Tigers appearance since September, replacing the injured Jozy Altidore, and scored twice. Despite being infuriatingly offside time and again, Folan put in an otherwise decent shift alongside the excellent Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink.

There’s no way to dress this up appealingly, City are a shambles at the back and look nailed on for relegation. Fortunately, Wolves couldn’t hang on to a 2-1 lead at Aston Villa, otherwise they’d be gone over the horizon.

A good run of results would still see City safe, but how likely is that? With a new manager still finding his feet, a leaky defence and more injuries at the wrong time of the season, there doesn’t look to be much of a way back. To score two goals at Portsmouth and not even come away with a point is unforgiveable really.

Who knows though, the home form has still been relatively good of late, and next week’s game at home to Fulham represents a good chance of three points, particularly as it comes after an FA Cup replay and before a UEFA cup clash for the visitors. This really has now become a must-win game.

Are City now doomed? I’d like to hear your views on the subject.