Hull City marked their return to the English Premier League in sensational fashion after beating Manchester United 2-0 in Saturday’s early kick-off at the MKM Stadium.
The newly promoted Tigers produced an energetic and disciplined performance, with defenders Semi Ajayi and Nobel Mendy scoring both goals from set-piece situations to hand Manchester United a disappointing start to the 2026/27 campaign. Ajayi opened the scoring in the 17th minute before Mendy doubled Hull’s advantage in the 38th minute.
Manchester United dominated periods of possession but struggled to turn their control of the ball into clear scoring opportunities. New midfield arrivals Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos were handed starts by manager Michael Carrick, while Bruno Fernandes captained the side alongside attacking players Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha. Hull, however, remained organised defensively and repeatedly caused problems from dead-ball situations.
United’s defensive problems were exposed twice before half-time as Hull showed greater determination in attacking set pieces. The visitors registered 14 attempts during the game but were unable to seriously break down a well-organised Hull defence, with goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis also producing a confident performance on his Premier League debut.
Marcus Rashford was introduced from the bench as United searched for a way back into the contest, marking his return to Premier League action for the club after a lengthy absence. His introduction, however, failed to change the direction of the match as Hull protected their two-goal advantage and frustrated United until the final whistle.
The victory represented a memorable return to top-flight football for Hull, who were playing their first Premier League match since the 2016/17 season. It was also their first league victory over Manchester United since 1974, providing an early reminder that newly promoted sides can pose a serious threat to established Premier League clubs.