Manchester United began a crucial Premier League campaign with a dismal 2-0 defeat against newly promoted Hull City.
First-half goals from Semi Ajayi and Nobel Mendy exposed familiar vulnerabilities in defence, raising concerns about squad mentality after a promising summer.
Despite owning ample possession and forward positions throughout, a star-studded attack simply lacked the guile and cutting edge displayed by their London rivals on Friday.
And for all of the talk of harmony and aspirations at Carrington, Michael Carrick and his team have immediately found themsleves under a rather unsavoury spotlight.
Entering the fixture amid much scrutiny of season expectations and his squad’s capabilities, Carrick was keen to maintain the standards set during an indelible 17-game spell last term.
Furthermore, having observed Arsenal dismantle Coventry yesterday evening, the travelling contingent were eager to replicate some of their rival’s early intent.
Carrick named a strong starting XI packed with talent and experience across the field, emphasised by the new-look duo of Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans in midfield.
And his side appeared to understand the brief, dominating the opening quarter and twice forcing saves from Konstantinos Tzolakis after some passages of fluid interplay.
But things took a turn for the worse thereafter, and as was so often the case last season, set-pieces and physicality, or a lack of it, played a defining role.
First, United found themselves trailing following a precise corner routine. Ajayi responded quickest to power home following some excellent work from Senne Lammens, and it was deserved after a frantic five-minute spell.
An already delirious MKM Stadium was in dreamland when Mendy doubled their lead with a bullet header from a free kick late in the half, profiting from an almost lethargic visiting structure.
United may have controlled possession, completed passes and time in the opposing half. Nonetheless, the general tempo was slow and predictable, playing directly into the hands of the newly-promoted outfit.
There’s a lot to be said when assembling a squad that is fit for purpose across multiple competitions. But it stands for little without a killer mentality from the outset.
Only 45 minutes into a crucial campaign, Carrick was already braced for a critical half-time talk.
| First half overview via SofaScore | Hull | Manchester United |
| Possession | 29% | 71% |
| Total shots | 5 | 8 |
| Big chances | 3 | 1 |
| Goalkeeper saves | 2 | 2 |
| Passes | 124 | 320 |
| Expected goals (xG) | 1.16 | 0.71 |
Marcus Rashford replaced an out-of-sorts Patrick Dorgu for the restart, with hopes that the former fan-favourite could ignite some impetus in the final third.
Still, Lewie Coyle and co appeared unfazed by the left-sided reunion of Luke Shaw and the one-time Barcelona loanee, as multiple final balls failed to find their home.
So much of Hull’s promotion campaign stemmed from a deep-lying system that thrived in transition, and plenty of that was on show throughout this encounter, much to the dismay of the Red contingent in the stands.
Unsurprisingly, supporters were witnessing an endless game of defence versus attack, and the home side was winning every individual battle.
Benjamin Sesko and Kobbie Mainoo replaced Santos and Tielemans midway through the half amid frantic conversations between Carrick and Steve Holland on the touchline.
Their team held almost all of the ball but appeared incapable of truly exerting any attacking muscle, even with Harry Maguire essentially operating as an additional midfielder.
Although the final statistics will paint a picture of domination versus misfortune, Hull applied their pre-game practices to perfection and deserved the three points.
Having patiently waited throughout pre-season for a return to competitive football, this United display was bland, uninspiring, predictable and, simply put, not good enough.
A season is never defined by one game. Regardless, it’s almost inconceivable to believe that this was the same side that dominated the form charts from January.
The Old Trafford faithful will demand a significant response when they welcome Ipswich next weekend, with a similar test in store from another promoted outfit.
Let us know your thoughts in the comments or across our social channels.
Recent Posts
- United striving for momentum against City in Manchester derby
- Denis Law | The King Of The Stretford End
- United hit Sabah for four in triumphant Champions League return
