Hull City assistant manager Brian Horton believes Jozy Altidore can become a key player in Hull's relegation battle after the striker scored his first Barclays Premier League goal. The United States international netted in the first half of yesterday's 2-1 victory over Manchester City and caused problems for the visiting defence throughout the match at the KC Stadium.

Altidore joined Hull on loan from Villarreal in August, but has taken time to make an impression and has also had off-the-field trauma to deal with. The 20-year-old's parents come from Haiti and he has family in the country who were affected by last month's devastating earthquake. He was granted compassionate leave and missed Hull's draw with Tottenham Hotspur on 16 January, but put in arguably his best performance for the Tigers yesterday, capped by his goal, which he celebrated by kissing a wristband bearing the Haitian flag.

Horton said: "He needed that. His displays have been good, but to get his first league goal is just what he wanted and he was a handful all round.

"He's a young lad and we've probably heaped a lot on him, but he's shown glimpses of what people have bought him for. He's got pace, he's got quite a lot of things going for him. We're just pleased we spotted the opportunity to bring him here.

"He's had a lot to contend with with his family," said Horton. "You don't understand those things until it's happened to yourself. For a 20-year-old boy in a different country having to cope with all that… but he's shown he's got ability, that's the main thing for us."

Altidore adjusting
The striker believes he is now getting to grips with the Premier League and is hoping to build on his first goal.

"It's a league that's very fast and I think that takes a little bit of adjusting, especially if you're a young player," Altidore said. "I think I'm getting there and hopefully I can just keep going."

For Horton, the victory was especially sweet as it came against the club he managed between 1993 and 1995, although he acknowledged today's big-spending City are a far cry from the side he remembers. He said: "It's nice to play well against your old club. I had a tremendous time there and I have tremendous respect for the club and the fans.

"The era they've got now is beyond comprehension really, the money they've got and what they're going to do, but sometimes you've got to have a bit more than that because we've done a job on them."

The era [Manchester City have] now is beyond comprehension really, the money they've got and what they're going to do, but sometimes you've got to have a bit more than that because we've done a job on them.
Hull City assistant manager Brian Horton

The victory was Hull's first since November and lifted them out of the bottom three and up to 14th ahead of Wednesday's trip to Blackburn Rovers.

"When you're down there it's hard to get out and it gives everybody a great lift," Horton said. "But we've got some tough games coming up, so we can't think it's done. We've got to show that passion and desire until the end of the season and, if we play like that, there's not a problem."

Johnson, Vieira impress
Roberto Mancini was disappointed with City's showing, but praised the performances of debutants Adam Johnson and Patrick Vieira, who both came off the bench in the second half. The Eastlands manager said of winger Johnson: "I'm very happy for him because he's a young player and he played very well. Also Patrick, he will be an important player in the future."

City will look to get back to winning ways against Bolton Wanderers on Tuesday and Mancini insisted their top-four plans are still on track.

"We have two games in hand and good possibilities to get in the top four," Mancini said. "We are three points behind Liverpool, but now we have another chance. We must win against Bolton."

Call to arms
Vieira, who joined City early last month but has been out with a calf injury, called on his new side to show more fighting spirit. The former Arsenal captain said: "If we played with a little bit more commitment, we could have taken the three points. When you play away from home, the spirit has to be really high."