It has been 10 years since Hull City have been able to open the Premier League season at home, but the result was the same as last time. The Tigers have shocked one of the big boys of the Premier League, defeating Manchester United 2-0 to open a campaign where most are tipping them for relegation, while Manchester United are a side expected to make a Champions League and perhaps push for the title in their first full season under Michael Carrick.
Long-time set-piece specialist Robert Snodgrass may no longer be lurking at MKM Stadium, but the Tigers were able to make the most of dead ball opportunities to score both of their goals as the entire Premier League leans into making the most of these situations. It's easier with a body like Ollie McBurnie to aim for in the middle, and the benefit of scoring in the 17th minute allowed Hull City to put everyone behind the ball and United didn't make them pay for it. And when I say everyone, I mean literally everyone, even McBurnie was essentially playing as a midfielder during the match, and wingers Elliot Straud and Mohamed Belloumi were defending for their lives, recognizing, even on opening day. that any points that the Tigers can pick up inch them closer to the magic 40-point target of safety.
The first week of Premier League action is one fit for overreaction, which is why it's good to determine if this game means anything in the long run. For Hull, considering that they struggled at set plays in the championship last seaosn, it's certianly good to see them make the most of thsoe situations but United also allowed 14 goals from dea ball situations (excluding penalties) last season, so it's not as much that the Tigers have improved as it is that they've met a team who can't stop the ball from going in when this happens.
You'd hope that this would be something that Carrick would have worked on during the preseason because it could be part of the Red Devils' undoing. Last season, they didn't have European soccer to worry about when determining who the best squad was to play, but back in Champions League play this season, the squad depth will be tested, and the left wing may already be a cause for concern. Patrick Dorgu started the match on the wing before being replaced by Marcus Rashford following his return from loan at Barcelona, but when looking at the choices elsewhere in the squad, it's fair to question how those two were the only options, as they struggled to make a difference in the match while Bruno Fernandes wasn't able to pick out players to make things happen.
CBS Sports Dorgu did play some wing minutes last season, but his numbers are ones that scream of overperformance as a player who is a solid wing back but a defense-minded winger. That's fine if contributions are coming from elsewhere, but when United needs balance, this isn't where they should be looking for it.
Alarm bells should be ringing for United, but they're no different than the bells that should've already been there. When teams take the game to the Red Devils, they've been able to hit back, but as they look to rise back to the top of the Premier League, needing to make something out of nothing will be critical. With Ipswich Town up next, United will have another crack at a newly promoted side before getting back to facing the Premier League regulars, and much will need to change.
CBS Sports They had 71% possession during the game but still had to settle for taking six of their 21 shots from outside the box due to frustration with the Hull City defense. With only three chances that registered more than a .2 xG during the game, the Red Devils created nothing, with the majority of chances coming from Luke Shaw and Rashford after Fernandes just broke the Premier League assist record last season.
On one hand, you'd expect the real United to be somewhere between this performance and last season, but on the other, a few poor performances like this one could be hard to bounce back from in a league where the soccer waits for no one, especially when expectations are high, like the ones that the Red Devils face. For now, this result is concerning, but it isn't something that signals anything different than we've already seen from United; if set-piece defense isn't cleaned up soon, it could sink their ship quickly.
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