Hull boss Mike Phelan believes his players are up for the battle after Friday's 2-2 draw with Everton saw them move off the foot of the Premier League table.
The hosts broke the deadlock in the sixth minute through Michael Dawson, but were pegged back on the brink of half-time by a David Marshall own goal.
Robert Snodgrass put Hull back in front with a sensational free kick in the 65th minute before Ross Barkley levelled things up six minutes before the end.
Phelan told Sky Sports 1: "It was a battling performance. I'm pleased with the players, they've come through another tough, difficult game and they've shown terrific spirit.
"Credit to all the players at this football club -- they're all putting a real shift in. They're training hard, they're listening and they're learning.
"They've got everything to look forward to, which is to progress up this league, and we've got a real battle on our hands in the second half of the season, but I think we're up for it.''
Phelan also moved to play down concerns over the club future of goalscorer Snodgrass. Hull triggered a one-year option on his contract and five other players two days before Christmas Day, but the Scotland international has so far refused to sign a longer-term deal with the Tigers.
"The talk's all coming from you lot. It's not coming from me,'' said Phelan after his side's winless league run extended to eight matches.
"I've got a quality football player at the football club and at this level you need quality.
"What will happen is sometimes not what you want to happen, but I've got no issues with Robert.
"I've got no issues with any player at this club. I've not been told we are selling any players.
"So as far as I'm concerned he's in the team on Monday.''
Squad issues aside, Phelan could not hide his frustration after Barkley's 84th-minute equaliser.
"I'm taking all sorts at the moment, but a point will do,'' he said.
"We contributed to the game, we were strong. We had to defend when we needed to and we scored a couple of goals.
"We're in the business to take positives. We are where we are because we've had some poor results.
"But on this occasion, and I've spoken to the players, the pleasing thing is we've taken a point from a game we've performed in again and that hasn't happened over the past three or four games.''