Newly promoted Hull City produced a surprise success on the first weekend of the 2026/27 Premier League season, defeating Manchester United 2-0 at the MKM Stadium on Saturday, leaving the visitors reeling after their first competitive match under Michael Carrick.
Semi Ajayi opened the score in the 17th minute with a close-range strike off a corner, and Nobel Mendy doubled the advantage in the 38th minute with a header off Regan Slater’s set-piece effort.
Manchester United dominated possession but struggled to penetrate Hull’s well-organized defense. The official club account then stated, “Defeat in our opening game.”
The Tigers, back in the top division after gaining promotion through the Championship play-offs, defended resolutely afterward and hung on for a famous victory in front of 24,470 spectators.
The outcome means Manchester United will have a difficult start to the season, while Hull City will enjoy a spectacular return to the Premier League.
Hull were demoted from the Premier League in 2017 and returned to League One before defeating Middlesbrough 1-0 in the Championship play-off final last season to secure promotion.
Their team featured a mix of EFL veterans and newcomers, with Senegal defender Mendy, Greece goalkeeper Tzolakis, and Swedish winger Elliot Stroud making their debut.
This combination was best exemplified by the second goal in the 38th minute.
Slater, who joined the club on loan from Sheffield United in League One and only cost £50,000 when he signed permanently, swung in a ball for Mendy, a £20 million-plus signing from Rayo Vallecano, to smash in a header past Lammens.
That came after Nigeria international Ajayi, who was released by West Brom last summer after refusing to accept a wage cut, scored his team’s first Premier League goal since Sam Clucas in the humiliating defeat to Spurs.
Jakirovic, Bosnia-Herzegovina’s first Premier League manager, will not let his Tigers get ahead of themselves after many predicted their relegation on the brink of the season.
However, this was a promising start, especially for a club plagued by injuries, and it was the first league win versus United since 1974 in the old Second Division.
