Hull City Player Ratings vs Manchester United

Konstantinos Tzolakis – 8
Hull’s new goalkeeper announced himself with authority. One stunning one-handed stop from Bryan Mbeumo’s skidding, angled drive set the tone, and he came through a crowded box to claim high balls as if he’d been in this league for years. Composed, commanding, and a debut that will be remembered.

Lewie Coyle (off 70) – 7
From the first whistle, Coyle showed Hull’s hand. An early deep cross towards Oli McBurnie from the right wing-back lane signalled the plan to stretch United wide. He offered energy and width, and his delivery kept the visitors honest.

Semi Ajayi (off 63) – 9
The moment fell, and he absolutely buried it. Alert to the rebound after Senne Lammens’ block from McBurnie, Ajayi lashed home Hull’s opener for his first Premier League goal since January 2021, back in his West Brom days at Wolves. At the other end he was immense, reading danger, winning duels, and anchoring the back line with real authority.

John Egan – 8
Stationed in the middle of the back three, Egan did far more than just defend his box. He stepped into midfield whenever Hull had possession, knitting play together and squeezing United back. Intelligent, assured, and tactically sharp.

Ryan Giles (off 84) – 7
A mirror threat to Coyle on the opposite flank. Giles drove forward with purpose, stretching the pitch and forcing United’s full-backs to retreat. Crucially, he also sprinted back into shape to ensure the visitors didn’t enjoy the same freedom down his side.

Regan Slater – 7
His set-piece delivery was a weapon. A beautifully curled free-kick begged to be attacked, and Nobel Mendy obliged for Hull’s second. Beyond that, Slater was part of a hard-working midfield that refused to let United settle.

Matt Crooks – 8
Crooks bossed the centre of the pitch. He snapped into challenges, recycled the ball intelligently and set the tempo, all while maintaining a relentless work-rate. Late on, he still had the legs to surge through midfield, forcing Lammens into a hurried clearance. Quietly dominant.

Nobel Mendy (off 63) – 8
A debut to savour. Mendy timed his run perfectly to meet Slater’s free-kick and steer home Hull’s second, but his performance was about much more than the goal. Strong in the challenge, switched on defensively, and decisive with his clearances.

Mohamed Belloumi – 8
Calm, neat, and crucial. Belloumi kept the ball moving with sharp, simple passes, rarely wasting possession. That composure allowed Hull to build rhythm and sustain pressure, gradually turning the screw on United.

Oli McBurnie – 8
He didn’t score, yet he dominated the contest. McBurnie bullied defenders, especially Ayden Heaven, and constantly occupied United’s back line. His physical presence created chaos, his movement carved out space for team-mates, and his blocked effort led directly to Ajayi’s opener.

Elliot Stroud (off 70) – 7
Stroud rode his luck early with a late tackle on Harry Maguire that infuriated the Manchester United centre-back, but from there he settled. He competed aggressively, used the ball sensibly and contributed to Hull’s control without losing his discipline again.

Hull substitutes

Paddy McNair (on 63) – 6
Introduced against his former club, McNair helped lock things down. He kept his positioning tight and did the simple defensive work well.

Lucas Herrington (on 63) – 6
Came on as Hull shifted into a more counter-attacking mode. Held his zones, offered an outlet, and didn’t over-commit.

Liam Millar (on 70) – 6
Given licence to run into space late on, Millar led a promising breakaway but couldn’t quite apply the final touch to kill the game.

Cody Drameh (on 70) – 6
Alert and sharp. His key intervention came when he darted in front of Luke Shaw to block a dangerous crossing opportunity just as United were cranking up the pressure.

Matt Targett (on 84) – 6
A late introduction to see the game out. Slotted into the defensive structure and helped Hull reach the finish line.

Subs not used: Dillion Phillips, Jens Hjertø-Dahl, Kieran Dowell, Lucas Gourna-Douath.

Manchester United

Senne Lammens – 7
The scoreline flatters no one in a United shirt, but Lammens can hold his head high. He produced two smart stops before denying McBurnie from close range, only for Ajayi to crash in the rebound. One of the few visiting players to emerge with credit.

Noussair Mazraoui (off 80) – 5
Mazraoui drifted inside repeatedly but never truly threatened. When Hull broke, he struggled to halt the waves coming down his side and couldn’t impose himself going forward.

Harry Maguire – 6
Back at Hull, Maguire endured a frustrating afternoon. He was generally solid in his individual duels but couldn’t lift the defensive unit around him or provide the authority United needed.

Ayden Heaven – 5
A harsh lesson at this level. Heaven was outmuscled by McBurnie in the build-up to Hull’s opener and clashed with the striker again at half-time. His inexperience showed as Hull targeted him.

Luke Shaw – 6
Shaw hugged the touchline to give United width and combined well in advanced areas, but he was left with a huge amount of ground to cover. That workload told defensively as Hull found space to exploit.

Andrey Santos (off 66) – 5
His competitive debut slipped away from him. Overrun by Hull’s energetic midfield, he struggled to keep the ball and never really got to grips with the tempo.

Youri Tielemans (off 66) – 5
There were flashes of the familiar slick passing, but Tielemans drifted into a pattern of lofting hopeful balls into the Hull box. Against a dominant back line, those deliveries played into Hull’s hands.

Bryan Mbeumo – 5
United’s liveliest attacking spark before the break, yet without reward. One angled strike drew that superb save from Tzolakis, another acrobatic effort flew wide via a deflection. His threat faded as Hull tightened their grip.

Bruno Fernandes – 5
Plenty of effort, little end product. Fernandes roamed in search of influence but rarely found shooting positions and couldn’t unlock Hull’s defensive shape.

Patrick Dorgu (off 46) – 4
Dorgu found himself in promising areas but wasted them. His final ball deserted him, he disrupted United’s attacking rhythm, and a booking capped a difficult half. No surprise to see him withdrawn at the interval.

Matheus Cunha (off 80) – 5
Deployed as the central striker, Cunha constantly checked back into his natural No 10 pockets. That left United without a genuine focal point, and Hull’s defenders were rarely stretched in behind.

Manchester United substitutes

Marcus Rashford (on 46) – 5
On at half-time for his first United appearance since December 2024, Rashford immediately drove at Hull’s back line. The intent was there, but he never fashioned a clear chance or telling moment.

Benjamin Sesko (on 66) – 5
His introduction at least gave United a more physical presence up front. Even so, he couldn’t bully Hull’s centre-backs or carve out a decisive opportunity.

Kobbie Mainoo (on 66) – 5
Mainoo tried to inject some control but found the game slipping away from him. Hull’s midfield intensity limited his influence.

Diogo Dalot (on 80) – 5
Arrived late and saw little of the ball. Unable to alter the pattern of United’s struggle.

Shea Lacey (on 80) – 5
Given a brief run-out as United chased a response. The match was already drifting beyond them, and he had minimal chance to make an impact.

Subs not used: Karl Darlow, Lisandro Martinez, Joshua Zirkzee, Leny Yoro.