Football, bloody Hull, to misquote Sir Alex Ferguson. The first shock of the season emerged on the banks of the Humber, marking a disappointing start for Ferguson’s former club. Under the guidance of Michael Carrick, Manchester United began the first full campaign with a lackluster performance. Carrick expressed his “bitter disappointment” as Hull showcased their ability to surprise beyond their recent promotion.

Hull City put on a spectacular display, and amid United’s post-match inquest, the impressive performance of the victors should not be overlooked. Defiant in defense and ruthless in attack, they embodied their nickname with a relentless approach to closing down, carrying momentum from their Wembley success in May.

In stark contrast, United’s start to the season was chaotic. They appeared vulnerable in defense, uninspired in midfield, and managed without a reliable striker for three-quarters of the match. They could not blame their sluggishness on the World Cup, as only four of the outfield players had participated. The new midfield partnership of Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos, purchased for a combined £83m, struggled significantly against Hull’s Regan Slater and Matt Crooks, who cost just £50,000. Crooks remarked, “Cheapest midfield two in the league.” In response, United may need to expedite their £70 million deal for Carlos Baleba.

While Hull seemed to borrow a pragmatic approach reminiscent of Leeds’ survival strategy from last season, United’s shortcomings at set-pieces were evident. They conceded goals from a corner and a free kick. Jakirovic fortified his lineup with defenders, two of whom found the net. United faced height challenges, marking an early indication of their potential struggles without Casemiro in critical moments. “We’ve been pretty good at [set-pieces] for a period of time, but it’s decided the game,” Carrick noted. Hull’s manager, Jakirovic, indicated that his team had a specific plan to exploit United’s weaknesses that he kept confidential.

The scorers reflected Hull’s recent history. Last summer, the club faced a buying embargo. Semi Ajayi, who joined then on a free transfer, scored their first top-flight goal since 2017, followed by Nobel Mendy, signed for £22 million from Real Betis. Promotion had opened up financial resources, and though eight of Hull’s starters were part of the play-off final victory over Middlesbrough, Jakirovic had to persuade his players of their capabilities at this level. The former Championship side, which had a poor defensive record last season, managed to keep a clean sheet despite missing eight key players through injury.

The £20 million goalkeeper, Konstantinos Tzolakis, provided a reassuring presence, making crucial saves, including one from Bryan Mbeumo in each half. He, along with Senne Lammens, the other standout among the United roster, offered some hope amidst the defeat. Lammens notably stopped two close-range shots from Oli McBurnie but could not prevent a follow-up from Ajayi. Only Leeds had previously led Carrick’s United by two goals, but Hull joined them in that exclusive club, with Mendy heading in a Slater free kick after outjumping Luke Shaw.

McBurnie served as a pivotal figure for Hull, playing a role that propelled them back into the Premier League. He exemplified the team’s spirit, even setting up a chance for Cody Drameh, who almost scored a third goal.

On the other side, United started with Matheus Cunha in a false No. 9 role, who struggled to make an impact, although Marcus Rashford, returning after 20 months from injury, eventually took on the role off the bench.

Ironically, United lost to a team adopting a 3-4-3 formation, a system they struggled against recently in a friendly. Their captain, Bruno Fernandes, pointed out recurring problems. “Same mistakes as we did last season every away game,” he criticized after the match.

Carrick took a calmer view, stating the defeat would not derail their plans. “It doesn’t change the direction of where the football club is going; stay calm and in the bubble,” he advised, though the pressure is now on to bounce back. “We have to soak it up and come back stronger,” he concluded.

Football, bloody Hull, to misquote Sir Alex Ferguson. The first shock of the season came on the banks of the Humber and at the expense of Ferguson’s former club. Inspired for half a season under Michael Carrick, Manchester United were insipid at the beginning of his first full campaign in charge. “Bitterly disappointed,” he said as Hull showed their capacity for surprises was not confined to an unexpected promotion.

This was spectacular stuff from Sergey Jakirovic’s team and, amid the inquest into a dreadful United display, it should not be forgotten that the deserved winners were superb. Defiant in defence, ruthless when they glimpsed an opportunity, justifying their nickname with their tigerish approach to closing down, they carried their momentum from Wembley in May back home.

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But it was a shambolic start to the season from United. Frail at the back, powder-puff in midfield and lacking a genuine striker for three-quarters of the match, they could not use the World Cup as an excuse for their sluggishness: only four of the outfield personnel to begin the game were even at it. The new midfield double act of Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos were taken off together, an £83m pairing floundering against Hull’s £50,000 buy Regan Slater and the United fan Matt Crooks. “Cheapest midfield two in the league,” said Crooks. United may have to respond by pushing through their £70m deal for Carlos Baleba.

If it felt like Hull had borrowed from the pragmatic formula Leeds used to stay up last year, United offered a throwback to Ruben Amorim’s reign by struggling at set-pieces. They conceded to a corner and then to a free kick. Jakirovic stacked his side with defenders. Two of them scored. United were overpowered in the air, an early sign they may miss Casemiro in their own penalty area. “We’ve been pretty good at [set-pieces] for a period of time, but it’s decided the game,” reflected Carrick. Jakirovic’s training-ground work paid off. “We tried something on Friday,” the Hull manager said. “We had some plan there to try and punish them.” His strategy, he smiled, “is a secret”.

The scorers provided a tale of Hull’s recent history. Last summer, they were under an embargo that meant they could not buy players. Semi Ajayi, who joined on a free transfer then, scored their first top-flight goal since 2017. The second came from Nobel Mendy, the £22m purchase from Real Betis. Promotion has unlocked millions. If Hull may have spent them wisely, it was nevertheless the case that eight of the starters began the play-off final win over Middlesbrough. “I had to convince my players that we are capable to play on this level,” said Jakirovic. The graduates from the Championship acquitted themselves superbly. They had the fourth worst defensive record in the second tier but kept a clean sheet with few alarms, despite missing eight injured players.

The £20m goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis was a reassuring presence, even if he was not overly tested. The Greek saved from Bryan Mbeumo in either half, and the Cameroonian was one of only two United starters who could conceivably be satisfied with their display. It is an indictment that the other was the goalkeeper, Senne Lammens.

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He made two terrific saves in as many minutes from Oli McBurnie but, when clawing his shot on to the post from the second, he could not prevent Ajayi from following up to finish. Only Leeds had ever gone 2-0 up against Carrick’s United, but Hull took them in a select group of Yorkshire clubs, Mendy outjumping Luke Shaw to head in Slater’s free kick. A Nobel prize, perhaps, for the newcomer.

Yet the man of the match, surely, was McBurnie, even if Ryan Giles officially claimed that honour among many contenders. The Scotland striker scored the goal that took Hull into the Premier League and set up their first back in the division. A cult hero of a centre-forward was a talismanic figure, indefatigable and inimitable. He set up Cody Drameh when the substitute almost added a third goal.

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Meanwhile, United began with the falsest of false nines, in Matheus Cunha, who forgot to get in the box. They at least finished with someone in their No 9 shirt: Marcus Rashford, making his first appearance for United for 20 months and coming off the bench.

There may be an irony that United lost to a team playing 3-4-3; indeed, they did last week, in a friendly against Amorim’s AC Milan. Perhaps United cannot play against the system they could not play with.

Their captain saw other issues. “Same mistakes as we did last season every away game,” said Bruno Fernandes, in a damning appraisal.

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Carrick, unsurprisingly, was less critical. “It won’t knock us,” he said. “It doesn’t change the direction of where the football club is going; stay calm and in the bubble.”

The danger is that the bubble is burst. Carrick, understated as ever, did not concur. “We have to soak it up and come back stronger,” he said.