United entered the fixture as favourites but were undone by Hull’s intensity and aerial threat. Ajayi opened the scoring in the 17th minute with a towering header from a corner. Just before halftime, Mendy doubled the lead with another powerful header from a set-piece.
Despite United dominating possession (70%) and firing 20 shots, they lacked cutting edge in attack. Marcus Rashford’s introduction at halftime added urgency, but Hull’s disciplined defense held firm to secure three points.
The defeat highlights United’s defensive frailties from set pieces and raises questions about their attacking sharpness. For Hull, it was a dream return to the Premier League.
Carlos Baleba is also set to become a Manchester United player after the Red Devils reached a verbal agreement with Brighton for the Cameroon international.
softfootball player ratings:
Player Ratings
Hull City
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| Konstantinos Tzolakis | 8.3 |
| Semi Ajayi | 8.2 (Goalscorer) |
| John Egan | 7.6 |
| Nobel Mendy | 8.0 (Goalscorer) |
| Lewie Coyle | 7.1 |
| Ryan Giles | 7.3 |
| Mohamed Belloumi | 7.1 |
| Matt Crooks | 7.1 |
| Regan Slater | 7.3 |
| Elliot Stroud | 7.1 |
| Oli McBurnie | 7.3 |
Manchester United
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| Senne Lammens | 6.3 |
| Noussair Mazraoui | 6.9 |
| Harry Maguire | 7.4 |
| Ayden Heaven | 5.8 |
| Luke Shaw | 6.9 |
| Youri Tielemans | 6.4 |
| Andrey Santos | 6.9 |
| Bryan Mbeumo | 6.7 |
| Bruno Fernandes | 7.3 |
| Patrick Dorgu | 5.7 |
| Matheus Cunha | 6.5 |
Subs: Marcus Rashford (6.8), Kobbie Mainoo (6.3), Benjamin Šeško (5.7), Diogo Dalot (6.3), Shea Lacey (6.1)
Match Statistics
| Statistic | Hull City | Man United |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 2 | 0 |
| Shots | 8 | 20 |
| Shots on Target | 4 | 6 |
| Possession | 30% | 70% |
| Passes | 228 | 636 |
| Pass Accuracy | 74% | 90% |
| Fouls | 10 | 9 |
| Yellow Cards | 2 | 1 |
| Red Cards | 0 | 0 |
| Offsides | 0 | 3 |
| Corners | 1 | 6 |
