Wounded hero Jonathan Woodgate headed a vital winner for Spurs last night - then collected a gash which could rule him out at Wembley.
Woodgate's first away goal in the Premier League for 10 years, five minutes from time, lifted Tottenham five points clear of the Premier League danger zone.
But moments later, he was cut above his left eye in an accidental clash of heads with team-mate Vedran Corluka, and Spurs boss Harry Redknapp admitted Woodgate was doubtful for Sunday's Carling Cup final with Manchester United.
King 'Arry said: "Woodgate has got a nasty gash above his eye - he's had several stitches and we'll have to see if he can play at Wembley. He's a tough nut and I'm sure he will want to be there.
"Ledley King and Woodgate were terrific for us tonight, and it makes such a difference to us when Ledley is there because he has such a physical presence.
"With him in the side we won at Manchester City, we won at West Ham and we've won tonight, which is a massive result for us.
"If Hull had won, they would have been virtually out of danger and it would have been getting away from us, but it's a good start to a crazy week.
"I've never heard of a team having to play on a Monday night and a Thursday night before a showpiece final at Wembley on the Sunday.
"Over the years, people have prepared for Wembley by going to a spa hotel and getting measured up for their suits, but we can't afford suits at 'Tottingham.'
"I think we're going to wear the same ones from last year's final - although I don't know whether Juande Ramos's suit is going to fit me!"
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Redknapp absolved jittery keeper Carlo Cudicini, whose first-half blunder appeared to have handed Hull a deserved point until Woodgate nodded Benoit Assou-Ekotto's cross into the top corner.
After Aaron Lennon's brilliant opener for Spurs, Cudicini waved at Andy Dawson's corner and Michael Turner pounced for the equaliser, but Redknapp insisted: "Carlo got battered all night.
"It's not easy when you have got 6ft-plus strikers and centre halves coming at you from set pieces.
"We were terrific in the second half - we upped the tempo because they made it difficult for us in the first half, got in our faces and worked their socks off.
"They were always a threat from set plays, and that was always the big fear we had, but in the end we got the ball down and passed it well enough to go on and win the game."
Redknapp made 10 changes from the side who started in Europe against Shakhtar Donetsk last week, with Jermaine Jenas the only survivor form the 2-0 defeat in Ukraine.
And he promised another shake-up for the second leg at White Hart Lane, saying: "I should think we will make about 11 changes on Thursday night.
"I got criticised for resting players in Donetsk, but Aston Villa didn't make many changes for their UEFA Cup tie and they got beat at the weekend - and they looked leggy."
Hull boss Phil Brown claimed: "It's a tough one to take - I don't think we deserved to lose that game tonight."
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