Key events
67 min Shaw’s cross finds Mbeumo, who can only shoot wide.
65 min The Shaw-Rashford axis supplies Cunha, whose shot is well blocked. Like so many today.
63 min First sub for Hull. Mendy, who scored the second goal, looks as if he may have pulled a muscle. He’s replaced by another new signing, Lucas Herrington, who is 18 but has played in the World Cup, for Australia. Paddy McNair is on too, in his own derby, replacing Ajayi. So both the goalscorers have left the stage.
61 min Hull’s turn to go on the attack. Giles’ cross is cleared by Maguire, but eventually a shot flies in from Belloumi, which goes just over the bar.
60 min As the hourglass tips over, the home fans are singing and waving flags. Tielemans plays a nice reverse pass through to Rashford, who can’t quite keep it out of Tzolakis’ hands.
59 min McBurnie goes on a cruise through midfield, and Shaw is needed again to snuff out the danger.
57 min Rashford is on manoeuvres again, until Tzolakis comes out to claim the ball. Rashford has already added something, but United still aren’t creating clear chances.
55 min Shaw saves the day at the back as Hull threaten to break, then gets forward on the overlap to receive Rashford’s pass and win a corner. But United, who scored 22 goals from set pieces last season, have done nothing with them today except concede.
54 min A pass inside from Mbeumo, a dummy from Fernandes – and there’s nobody there to shoot! That rather sums up United’s day.
52 min Rashford, racing after a chip, can’t get on the end of it because the ball lands in the safe hands of Tzolakis.
50 min Maguire gets some touches in the Hull box – a cross that brings a corner, then a header that doesn’t quite find an ivory shirt. Slightly better from United.
49 min Shaw, tidying up on the left, passes to Rashford, who has his first touch and his first dribble, and wins his first free kick. Nothing comes of it, but the Shaw-Rashford relationship was always a good one and it needs to spark now.
48 min Mbeumo squeezes in a shot but the flag is up in any case. United, by the way, have lost 18 of the last 19 PL games in which they’ve gone 2-0 down.
48 min Cunha, who was too deep as the striker, wins a free kick now.
46 min Another change for United: Cunha to the right, and Mbeumo to the middle, where he started most of the pre-season games.
Carrick sends on Rashford
Here comes Marcus Rashford, wearing a United shirt for the first time in the Premier League since December 2024. He replaces Dorgu on the left wing.
In the mailbox, there seems to be the odd disgruntled United fan. “This has been some rubbish so far from United,” says Matan. “Again, what are we doing with a back four of Shaw, Maguire, Heaven, and Mazraoui? The lineup is crying out for Lisandro Martinez, who I assume can’t go 90 yet. And probably Leny Yoro as well. And maybe also Diogo Dalot…”
“So,” says Chris Blunt, “considering your withering tales about Amorim (you were not wrong btw), who gets the blame for this omnishambles?” Well, the buck always stops with the boss, but Carrick has a lot of credit in the bank.
The cameras find Marcus Rashford, going through an energetic warm-up.
“It’s been much more than set pieces,” says Owen Hargreaves, who knows a bit about playing for United. “Hull have won every second ball… United haven’t played poorly, but Hull have been more aggressive.”
HALF-TIME! Hull 2-0 Man United
The scoreline of Hull’s dreams, and they deserve it. Goals from two set pieces, both scored by centre-backs, have got the MKM Stadium rocking.
United, meanwhile, have conceded five goals without scoring one since they were 2-1 up against AC Milan last weekend. Michael Carrick may need to make some changes much earlier than he usually does.
45+1 min The first of two added minutes. Cunha tees up Fernandes, whose curled shot is well blocked.
45 min Another half-chance for Dorgu, who heads well wide. There’s a pattern to United’s moves – started by Maguire, finished or not by Dorgu. You wonder if this is a policy from Hull, to keep the ball away from the real danger man, Fernandes. If so, it’s working a treat.
44 min Fernandes takes a neat touch on the right wing, but again the cross is easily cleared.
43 min The first yellow card for Hull goes to Matt Crooks, not sure what for.
41 min United manage some possession, but the move peters out when Dorgu makes the wrong choice in the box. Then Mbeumo gets to the byline, only for his cross to be hoofed away.
40 min Football, bloody Hull.
GOAL!!!! Hull 2-0 Man United (Mendy 38)
They’ve done it again! Another set piece, another ball whipped in, and again it’s a Hull defender who’s first to the ball – Nobel Mendy, on his debut.
37 min As Hull bustle forward, Tielemans gives away a free kick in a dangerous zone.
35 min Chance for United: a cross from Shaw leads to a bicycle kick from Mbeumo, sweetly struck but easily saved. The resulting corner is well held by Tzolakis, who is making a confident debut.
34 min The first yellow card goes to Dorgu. That might lead to more minutes for the only left-winger in United’s squad, a fellow named Rashford.