Ex-players may have been queuing up to write off Hull City before a ball was kicked ahead of the new Premier League season, but there was a flurry keen to give credit to the newly promoted side on Saturday.
Relegated by some even before they began the campaign against Manchester United, City gave their critics food for thought when they swept aside the Red Devils with a confident, comfortable win at the MKM Stadium.
Goals from Semi Ajayi and Nobel Mendy capped a spirited display to give City a victory their performance deserved, and it impressed Scotland legend Ally McCoist, who was on co-commentary duties with broadcaster TNT Sports.
Former United star Wayne Rooney and England hero Alan Shearer may have been scathing in their assessment of United, but they were full of praise for City’s work.
Ten years after their last appearance on the Premier League edition of Match of the Day, City were back and in some style, featuring top of the much-discussed running order on Saturday night.
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Ally McCoist
“It’s one of the shocks of the season already, it really is,” he said on TNT Sports. “A lot of people, myself included, had Hull to go back down, but if they can keep this level of performance going, you never know. Hull were supremely organised with a back five. A great result. Manchester United more than a little concerned.”
Alan Shearer
“I haven’t seen Manchester United in pre-season. I saw them in this game, and they didn’t look fit; they didn’t look ready to play 90 minutes of intense, high-pressure, high-energy football. There was only one team that looked fit there, and it wasn’t Manchester United.
“From the very first minute, you saw the energy, you saw the intensity, but that would be the worrying thing. You know that as a team, going away from home to a newly promoted team, you know what you’re gonna get, and you have to match them as a minimum, and Man United didn’t, they couldn’t live with Hull.”
Wayne Rooney
“There was a lack of intensity and closing down. They couldn’t really get close to Hull, and they really suffered from crosses into the box and couldn’t deal with them well enough. They didn’t really create much, which was the biggest worry.
“When you play a promoted team, it’s always difficult. First game of the season away from home, and I think United just didn’t seem ready for it.
“Hull were fantastic. The manager was spot on when he talked about preparation. I watched Manchester United against AC Milan and they struggled stopping crosses into the box. Hull looked like they played on that; they got the ball out wide, put good crosses in the box and caused United problems. They defended well in the second half. They looked powerful, they looked strong. United didn’t look at the races, and Hull overpowered them in both boxes. That won them the game.”
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