Manchester United made a nightmare start to the new season as promoted Hull City silenced their doubters with a shock 2-0 victory on their Premier League return Saturday.
Sergej Jakirovic’s playoff winners had been written off by pundits before a ball was kicked, with former England international Joe Cole even predicting an immediate return to the second tier. His comments sparked anger among Hull supporters.
But those predictions looked badly misplaced as the unfancied Tigers roared to a stunning and thoroughly deserved opening-day victory, scoring twice from first-half set pieces to stun United and announce their return to the Premier League in emphatic fashion.
Semi Ajayi opened the scoring after United failed to deal with a corner, and Michael Carrick’s men were again found wanting when Regan Slater sent in a free kick for debutant Nobel Mendy to nod home.
The Red Devils boss, handed the permanent job in May, had warned of a challenging start in East Yorkshire, but he could not have foreseen such a meek display from his side months after finishing third.
Carrick has plenty to mull over following United’s first-ever Premier League loss to Hull, whose first top-flight match since 2017 will live long in the memory.
“One family, one dream,” read the flags placed on seats around the MKM Stadium, 13 weeks after the playoff final win over Middlesbrough.
The togetherness, spirit and momentum from that unlikely promotion helped City roar out of the blocks as Jakirovic’s Tigers immediately made life difficult for United.
Oli McBurnie would have nodded Hull into a fifth-minute lead had it not been for a smart clearance, with the striker soon seeing a booming header denied by Senne Lammens.
Debutant Konstantinos Tzolakis brilliantly stopped a Bryan Mbeumo effort between those chances, but United offered little else, and Lammens soon had to tip over a Ryan Giles cross-shot.
The resulting 17th-minute corner sparked bedlam. Slater’s driven ball was flicked on, and McBurnie saw an effort superbly pushed onto the far post by Lammens, only for the ball to fall to Ajayi, who slammed home.
It was an astonishing moment that the ineffective Patrick Dorgu tried to cancel out, but a passive United lacked a focal point, and Hull would punish them from another set piece.
Debutant Youri Tielemans brought down Mohamed Belloumi outside the box, and Slater whipped in a fine free kick that Mendy headed beyond Lammens in the 38th minute.
“You’re getting mauled by the Tigers,” chanted gleeful Hull fans, who took aim at dismissive pundit Cole and playfully sang about winning the league.
City were given a standing ovation at the break, and United turned to Marcus Rashford, who made his first competitive appearance for the club in 618 days.
Carrick had hoped to change the dynamics, but Hull continued to keep the visitors at arm’s length and looked primed to break whenever given the chance.
McBurnie’s dancing feet on one such break showed their confidence, as did Belloumi’s rising effort from distance just after the hour mark.
Goalscoring debutant Mendy limped off for the hosts, and Carrick turned to his bench, including introducing Benjamin Sesko.
Substitute Cody Drameh fired just wide as Hull sought a third, with Mbeumo lifting an effort over before seeing another shot denied by Tzolakis.
Former Hull defender Harry Maguire was denied as United tried and failed to avoid a humiliating opening-weekend loss.
