Premier League

Hull City 2 – 0 Manchester United FT

Hull City marked a triumphant return to the Premier League with a stunning 2-0 victory over Manchester United, securing their first top-flight win against the visitors.

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Entering the season with high expectations after finishing third in the 2025-26 campaign under manager Michael Carrick, Manchester United’s confidence faced an early setback.

In contrast, Hull City, promoted through the play-offs last season, showcased their prowess at home, with both goals coming from defenders.

Semi Ajayi opened the scoring in the 12th minute. He netted after a follow-up to Oli McBurnie’s shot that the United goalkeeper Senne Lammens could only tip onto the post.

Club-record signing Nobel Mendy then scored on his debut, converting a header from Regan Slater’s free-kick to round off an impressive display, marking Hull’s first top-flight game since a 7-1 defeat to Tottenham in May 2017.

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Hull goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis had a quiet match relative to expectations, making five saves, including a crucial stop against Bryan Mbeumo in the closing stages.

Hull City analysis: Tigers show tenacity and talent

Since their relegation from the Premier League in 2017, Hull City bounced between tiers before defeating Middlesbrough in the Championship play-off final to return to the top league.

The squad featured a blend of experienced players and new signings, including defender Mendy, goalkeeper Tzolakis, and winger Elliot Stroud, who all made their debuts.

The synergy of this combination was highlighted in Hull’s second goal in the 38th minute.

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Slater, who initially joined Hull on loan and later signed permanently for just £50,000, delivered a cross that Mendy, a summer signing for over £20 million, headed powerfully past Lammens.

This struck a significant note, as Ajayi had not only scored the team’s first Premier League goal since 2017 but also highlighted Hull’s determination after being labeled relegation candidates before the season began.

Manager Sergej Jakirovic, the first Bosnian coach in Premier League history, will temper enthusiasm as his team seeks to build on this promising start, especially with several key players unavailable due to injury.

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Man Utd analysis: Disappointing start for Red Devils

This defeat may dampen the positive atmosphere surrounding Carrick and Manchester United as they begin the new season.

With this result, United recorded their first loss on opening day to a promoted side in their long history.

Despite showcasing a revamped midfield featuring new signings Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans, both players struggled to make a significant impact and were substituted in the second half.

Having already trailed 2-0, United introduced Marcus Rashford at halftime, but the returning forward could not ignite a comeback in his first appearance since December 2024.

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United created 21 opportunities but failed to convert them into goals, with only a few chances testing Hull’s goalkeeper effectively, as Cunha, Mbeumo, and Bruno Fernandes all tried to find the net.

Despite holding 72% possession and completing more passes than in any Premier League match last season, Carrick will hope this is simply a matter of missed chances rather than a troubling sign for the season ahead.

Premier League

Hull City 2 – 0 Manchester United FT

Hull City stunned Manchester United on a dream return to the Premier League after nine years away with a first ever top-flight win against their shell-shocked visitors.

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United came into the season high on confidence after their end to the 2025-26 campaign under Michael Carrick, where they finished third to qualify for the Champions League, and some new summer signings.

But it was Sergej Jakirovic’s Tigers – promoted through the play-offs last season – who impressed on their home turf with two defenders on the scoresheet.

Semi Ajayi gave them the lead when he lashed in after Oli McBurnie’s initial effort was tipped on to the post by United keeper Senne Lammens.

And fellow defender and club-record signing Nobel Mendy scored on his debut when he headed in from Regan Slater’s free-kick to seal a superb success in their first Premier League game since a 7-1 home loss by Tottenham in May 2017.

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Tigers keeper Konstantinos Tzolakis was not as busy as he might have expected, but made five saves, including one to stop a Bryan Mbeumo effort late on.

Hull City analysis: Tigers show tenacity and talent

Since Hull were relegated from the Premier League in 2017, they have been down to League One and back before beating Middlesbrough 1-0 in the Championship play-off final to seal promotion last season.

Their team was a mix of EFL stalwarts and new signings – with Senegal defender Mendy, Greece goalkeeper Tzolakis and Swedish winger Elliot Stroud making their debuts.

That combination was best highlighted by the second goal in the 38th minute.

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Slater, who joined the club initially on loan from Sheffield United in League One – and only cost £50,000 when he signed permanently – swung in a ball for Mendy – a £20m-plus purchase from Rayo Vallecano – to power in a header past Lammens.

That came after Nigeria international Ajayi – released by West Brom last summer after refusing to take a pay cut – had scored his side’s first Premier League goal since Sam Clucas in that humbling defeat by Spurs.

Jakirovic, the first manager in the Premier League from Bosnia-Herzegovina, will not let his Tigers get too carried away after being written off as relegation candidates by many on the eve of the campaign.

But this was a promising start, especially from a team hit by several injuries – and securing a first league win against United since 1974 in the old Second Division.

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Man Utd analysis: Disappointing start for Red Devils

This result will have certainly zapped some of that pre-season enthusiasm around Carrick and his team.

This was the first time – on the 13th occasion – in their history they have lost to a promoted team on the opening day of a season.

They had a new-look midfield featuring summer signings Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans – but neither shone and ended up being replaced midway through the second half.

United were already 2-0 down when they brought on Marcus Rashford at half-time, but the England forward – back from his loan spell at Barcelona – could not spark any kind of comeback on his first appearance for his boyhood club since December 2024.

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The Red Devils did have chances – 21 in total – but not as many clear-cut ones as they might have liked, with Cunha, Mbeumo and Bruno Fernandes all testing the Hull keeper.

Captain Fernandes also fired another opportunity over the bar.

United had 72% possession and attempted more passes than they did in any Premier League game last season.

But Carrick will hope this was a simple case of United not making the most of their chances – and the opposition taking theirs – and not something more concerning for the future.