Hull stuns Manchester United as Spurs humbled by Brentford
Manchester United’s season began with a jolt, not a statement.
Beaten 2-0 by newly promoted Hull City at the MKM Stadium, Michael Carrick’s side looked nothing like title contenders and everything like a team still searching for an identity.
Semi Ajayi and Nobel Mendy did the damage before the break, punishing a flat, disjointed United performance that never really recovered from Hull’s early surge. The hosts, back in the Premier League for the first time since 2017 and missing 10 players through injury, simply ran harder, thought quicker and believed more.
United had no answer.
Carrick refuses to explode
Expectation around Carrick’s team was clear after last season’s third-place finish: push Arsenal, go after the title, look like a serious force. On this evidence, that feels a long way off.
There was little sign United can trade blows with the champions. They were second best in duels, loose in possession and short of ideas in the final third.
Carrick, though, refused to follow the emotional path that cost Ruben Amorim his job last season.
“We came here to win so to not take anything away is hugely disappointing. It is not a nice feeling but it is not going to change our direction as a team or a club,” he said, pointedly calm after the defeat.
“You have to carry on as normal. We just don’t all have to shout and scream and create some chaos. Calmness doesn’t mean there is not emotion.”
The message was clear: no public fireworks, no early-season crisis narrative. But the performance will sting.
Aussie teenager steps into the spotlight
For Hull, this was more than a statement win. It was a glimpse of a future they hope to build around.
Teenage Socceroos defender Lucas Herrington, signed from Colorado Rapids in a deal reported at around $A33 million, came off the bench in the 64th minute to make his Premier League debut. At 18, and in a game already tilting Hull’s way, he looked assured rather than overawed.
His cameo drew praise for its composure and positioning, a small but significant step as he begins his push to become a regular starter. On a day when United’s big names shrank, Hull’s young recruit grew.
Big-spending Spurs taken apart
If United’s defeat was sobering, Tottenham’s was downright embarrassing.
After spending over £200 million ($A380 million) to overhaul a squad that only just escaped relegation on the final day of last season, Spurs were ripped open 3-0 by Brentford in west London.
Roberto De Zerbi handed starts to four of his new signings – Sandro Tonali, Andrew Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke – with Mateus Fernandes introduced from the bench. The new era, on paper, looked bold and ambitious.
On the pitch, Brentford tore it to shreds.
Keith Andrews’ side, built on a fraction of Tottenham’s budget, played with clarity and conviction. Keane Lewis-Potter and Vitaly Janelt struck in the first half, punishing defensive lapses and loose midfield play. After the interval, Michael Kayode added a third to deepen the sense of chaos in the visitors’ ranks.
It could have been a humiliation of historic proportions. Igor Thiago stepped up to make it 4-0 from the spot and missed, sparing Spurs an even harsher scoreline but not the scrutiny that will follow.
Sage’s Palace stutter, Glasner floored late
Crystal Palace’s new French manager Pierre Sage walked into the Premier League with a glowing résumé and a heavy shadow.
Under Oliver Glasner, the Eagles lifted the FA Cup in 2025 and the UEFA Conference League last season. Glasner’s summer move to Nottingham Forest opened the door for Sage, fresh from guiding Lens to second in Ligue 1 and a French Cup triumph.
His first afternoon in charge of Palace ended in a 2-0 defeat at Everton.
Against the run of play, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall pounced in the 42nd minute, robbing Daniel Munoz and hammering a fierce drive into the far corner past Dean Henderson. Any hopes of a Palace fightback after the interval were checked when Thierno Barry powered home a bullet header from Iliman Ndiaye’s cross in the 53rd minute.
Glasner’s own debut at Forest offered no comfort. Leeds left the City Ground with a 1-0 win, decided by an 88th-minute Anton Stach free-kick that squirmed past Matz Sels. The late concession underlined Forest’s fragility ahead of a swift rematch with Leeds in the League Cup second round on Tuesday.
Ipswich announce their return in style
At Portman Road, Ipswich marked their Premier League return with a flourish and a flourish of late drama.
Emersonn, on debut, struck in the 24th minute to ignite the home crowd, only for Sunderland to respond through Nilson Angulo’s excellent free-kick in the 39th minute.
The game drifted towards a draw. Then Jack Clarke took control.
In the 90th minute, Clarke curled home the winner, sealing a 2-1 victory and handing Gary O’Neil the perfect start in his first match as Ipswich boss after replacing Kieran McKenna. It felt like a moment that could define the mood of their season.
New eras in Manchester and Merseyside
The weekend’s opening fixtures also framed what comes next at the top.
Arsenal, already up and running, launched their title defence with a commanding 3-0 win over promoted Coventry on Friday, a result that set an early benchmark.
On Sunday, Manchester City begin life without Pep Guardiola, with Enzo Maresca taking charge for the first time against Bournemouth. Liverpool, now moving on from Mohamed Salah and under new manager Andoni Iraola, open against Newcastle.
United and Tottenham have already been warned: the league is not waiting for them to find their feet.
