Everton boss David Moyes berated his players for a lack of fight after their 3-2 Premier League defeat by Hull.

Moyes' side were 3-0 down after 28 minutes and a second-half comeback was not enough to stop them slipping to 14th in the table.

"I've seen a few poor performances since I've been here but that will be up there with the worst of them," Moyes said. "The performance was shocking.

"A team should fight from the first minute, not the 45th."

Everton's sixth Premier League defeat of the season means they have now won just one of their last 10 games in all competitions since the start of October.

FOOTBALL BLOG Bill Kenwright witnessed the unpalatable present as he suffered the latest evidence of Everton's decline in defeat at Hull City - and was then left to digest an uncertain future BBC Sport's Phil McNulty

Moyes' side are now just four points clear of the relegation zone, having finished fifth last season, and the fact has not escaped his attention.

"It is up to the players to take responsibility but I take responsibility for the team I select," added Moyes, who had to contend with half-a-dozen first-teamers out injured.

"We could be dragged into a relegation fight - particularly because of the injuries and individual performances.

"But I am the one who has to take responsibility for the team. I pick the team and I sign them. I'm the one who has the ultimate responsibility."

The Toffees fell behind when Stephen Hunt, Andy Dawson and Dean Marney scored for Hull in the first 28 minutes.

A Kamil Zayatte own goal and Louis Saha's penalty gave Everton hope of salvaging something from the game but the Tigers managed to keep them at bay.

"We didn't play well enough to win, that sums it up really," added Moyes.

"I don't think it was anything to do with confidence, it was to do with endeavour and attitude, which Hull City showed.

"If we had matched Hull's endeavour and attitude... they ran around and it earned them something at the end of the night."

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