John Egan shines as promoted Hull shock listless Man United
Hull City's Semi Ajayi scores during the Premier League match at the MKM Stadium. Pic: Annabel Lee-Ellis/PA Wire.
MICHAEL Carrick went to Hull and back as Manchester United endured a nightmare start to the Premier League season. As a famous former Old Trafford manager once said, football - bloody hell.
The glorious uncertainty of the beautiful game was underlined by a seismic shock at the MKM Stadium as a newly-promoted Hull side tipped by many to struggle to win a game this side of Christmas consigned Carrick's characterless side to a humiliating defeat.
There was nothing fortunate about the outcome as the Tigers beat United in the league for the first time in 52 years. City out-performed their ponderous illustrious opponents in just about every department on a chastening afternoon for a team who looked a million miles away from their billing as title dark horses..
Carrick threw on Marcus Rashford for a first United appearance since the end of 2024 but the manager's second-half changes failed to spark any kind of comeback after shipping two goals midway through the first period.
The Tigers' defence was ranked a modest 21st in the Championship last season after shipping 66 goals. Yet it proved to be the best form of attack for the top flight new boys as the goals came from two of their three centre-backs. The third, John Egan, played a major role in helping to break the deadlock in an outstanding display from the Cork-born Republic of Ireland international.
The hosts were good value for their comfortable interval lead as they grew into the contest after a cautious opening quarter of an hour.
Hull's probing to exploit the visitors' weakness down both flanks bore fruit in the 17th minute when from a corner conceded by Senne Lammens tipping over a goal-bound centre from full-back Ryan Giles, Semi Ajayi followed up to belt home the opener from five yards after Oli McBurnie's close range far post effort from Egan's flick was pushed onto the upright by the over-worked Manchester United keeper.
The Tigers weren't content to sit back on Ajayi's first Premier League goal for five-and-a-half years, and deservedly doubled their advantage seven minutes before the interval.
United were undone by another set-piece when from a perfectly whipped-in Regan Slater free-kick, Nobel Mendy showed more desire than any player clad in white to send a thumping close range header beyond Lammens for the defender's first goal since a club record £20m summer move from Rayo Vallecano.
Both goalscorers were withdrawn through injury after the break, but it failed to prove a disruption as their replacements, Australian international Lucas Herrington and United old boy Paddy McNair slotted in seamlessly alongside Egan as Rashford and the rest of United's forward line were forced to fee on scraps.
Bryan Mbeumo, put through by Metheus Cunha, forced a fine save from Konstantinos Tzolakis, the Greek keeper enjoying a stand-out debut as United's goal threat was kept to a minimum.
Another Hull substitute, Cody Drameh, was inches away from making it three inside the final 20 minutes when the full-back cut inside and sent an angled drive narrowly past Lammens' right-hand post.
Just when United's travelling supporters thought things couldn't get any worse, a stadium PA announcement informed them of a raft of train cancellations back across the Pennines to cap a miserable return to action on and off the pitch.
Their counterparts from Hull ended the game exclaiming 'we're going to win the league' on a day that will llive long in the memory on the banks of the Humber.
Tzolakis; Coyle (Drameh 70), Ajayi (McNair 64), Egan, Mendy (Herrington 64), Giles (Targett 85); Belloumi, Slater, Crooks, Stroud (Miller 71); McBurnie. Booked: Crooks.
: Lammens; Mazraoui (Dalot 80), Maguire, Heaven, Shaw; Tielemans (Mainoo 67), Santos (Sesko 67); Mbeumo, Fernandes, Dorgu (Rashford h-t); Cunha (Lacey 80). Booked: Dorgu.
Darren England
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