Hull City
Carrick Gives Update on De Ligt, Šeško and Mount Ahead of Hull Trip
Carrick has updated United’s injury picture, with De Ligt, Šeško and Mount all under close watch.
Michael Carrick has offered a measured update on Manchester United’s injury situation, with Matthijs de Ligt and Benjamin Šeško both back in training but still unavailable for the opening weekend of the Premier League season.
Šeško has been sidelined since picking up a shin injury in May, while De Ligt has also spent a lengthy spell out. Carrick said both are making clear progress, even if Saturday’s trip to Hull City comes too soon for them.
“Matt [De Ligt]’s obviously been out for a long period of time, but he’s training and great to have him back,” Carrick said. “Well, he won’t be involved, but he’s in good shape and moving in a good direction. So that’s really a good bonus for us, at this stage to have him back.
“Ben [Sesko]’s back training. So that’s again another positive. Looking forward to having him back around the group and getting him some minutes as well.”
There is also uncertainty over Mason Mount, whose preseason work was interrupted earlier this month when he limped off against Paris Saint-Germain with a knock. The issue is not considered serious, but Carrick said a decision will be left late.
Mount has already dealt with a long list of setbacks since arriving in the summer of 2023. He has missed 70 games and suffered no fewer than 10 separate injury issues, making his latest check on fitness another familiar test.
“[We’re] managing Mason a little bit, but he’s very close, so it’s touch and go for the weekend really, if not, going into next week,” Carrick explained.
“I think, first of all, Mason is a top player. Top player. I think we’ve seen that so far preseason. He was one of our best players in the early stages in the games that he played in. I thought he was fantastic. So not surprising, it’s what I’ve seen before, what I expect, what I know of him.”
Hull City
Rooney criticises Shaw as United’s problems are laid bare by Hull
Rooney condemned Shaw’s defending as Hull exposed United’s wider tactical weaknesses in a 2-0 loss.
Wayne Rooney delivered a sharp assessment of Manchester United’s defeat to Hull City, singling out Luke Shaw for what he called “schoolboy defending” while also pointing to deeper tactical issues behind the 2-0 loss.
Rooney focused on the second goal in the 38th minute, arguing that Shaw had played Mendy onside by dropping too deep too early while United were trying to defend a wide free kick. On Match of the Day, he said: “This is schoolboy defending from Luke Shaw,” United’s all-time top scorer seethed on Match of the Day. “Man Utd had a good line, Hull would have been waiting for this all day, Luke Shaw drops in, he’s five yards behind his backline and if the ball is good enough, which it was, it’s impossible to stop.
“Hull had a gameplan, they were getting balls into the penalty box, picking up second balls and Man Utd found it very difficult.”
That was only part of the issue. Rooney also noted that Hull’s use of wingbacks caused problems in open play, with a similar approach having already troubled United against Leeds United and AC Milan. He even pointed out the irony that Ruben Amorim spent 14 months trying, unsuccessfully, to get United to play that way themselves.
“I watched the AC Milan game last week and they [Hull] played the same system,” Rooney pointed out. “They played with wingbacks and Man Utd really struggled to deal with that. Maybe Hull have seen that game last week and changed it and I think fair play if that’s the case because they looked a really good team today.”
Hull boss Sergej Jakirović said the plan was designed to exploit the space left by Shaw: “Because Manchester United is coming very high with Luke Shaw.” He later added: “When we steal the ball, we are very vertical, very quick. In those transitions, we try to switch the side because our wingbacks are completely alone, and then get numbers in the box,” Jakirović bluntly explained. “We had two very good chances, and also we didn’t allow any one-to-one 100% chances from them.”
United now face Ipswich Town, with Gary O’Neil likely to study Hull’s blueprint closely as Carrick continues searching for solutions.
Hull City
Rashford Gives United a Lift, but Hull Exposed Deeper Problems
Rashford impressed off the bench, but United’s set-piece issues and lack of fight cost them at Hull.
Manchester United opened the season with an outcome that stands out in the club’s modern history, and not for the right reasons. Saturday brought only their ninth defeat in 35 seasons of the contemporary era, but it also marked a first: they lost away to newly promoted opposition on the opening weekend for the first time in any competition.
The visitors improved after the break and, in that sense, there were reasons for a more measured reading of the performance. United had made clear progress last season and still carry hopes of challenging for the Premier League title by May 2028. Even so, Hull stayed organised and did enough to secure the result.
The decisive detail was clear enough. Both Hull goals came from set pieces, while their threat in open play was minimal. Their open-play xG was only 0.07, compared with 1.19 from set pieces. United, by contrast, generated 1.81 xG overall and 1.50 in open play, although they offered little of note from dead-ball situations themselves, finishing with 0.30 xG from set pieces.
That imbalance matters. Set pieces are likely to remain a major factor throughout the season, and any side carrying a weakness in that area starts at an immediate disadvantage, regardless of broader quality. United must tighten that aspect if the opening defeat is not to become a familiar pattern.
There was also a question of intensity. Hull looked the more committed side, and the numbers backed that up. They won 59% of all duels, including 60% on the ground and 58% in the air.
Marcus Rashford, meanwhile, offered a more encouraging note. A move is still possible, but it would now be a surprise if he is not a Manchester United player on the morning of Sept. 2. Having been given the No. 9 shirt worn by club figures including Sir Bobby Charlton, Andy Cole, Tommy Taylor, Jack Rowley and Brian McClair, he did not start after only one preseason appearance, against AC Milan, and a compressed build-up. Yet his second-half showing, after replacing Patrick Dorgu on the left, suggested he can contribute this season. He brought pace, created four chances and was the most creative player on the pitch.
United were better with Rashford than without him. Benjamin Šeško, who scored 11 Premier League goals last season, also arrived with promise but a disrupted summer after injury and a fitness complaint that carried over from May.
Hull City
Amad Diallo absent as United begin Hull City clash with injury setback
Amad Diallo missed out for United against Hull, with injury and late fitness issues forcing changes.
Manchester United were forced to reshuffle before Saturday’s Premier League opener against Hull City after Amad Diallo was not named in the matchday squad.
The winger was missing when the team arrived, and his absence opened the door for Bryan Mbeumo to come in alongside Matheus Cunha and Patrick Dorgu in the forward line. Marcus Rashford, Benjamin Šeško and Joshua Zirkzee were all named among the substitutes.
United’s starting XI was listed as: Lammens; Mazraoui, Maguire, Heaven, Shaw; Santos, Tielemans; Mbeumo, Fernandes, Dorgu; Cunha.
The bench read: Darlow, Dalot, Martínez, Yoro, Mainoo, Lacey, Rashford, Šeško, Zirkzee.
Before the match, Carrick’s squad update on Friday did not include any reference to a problem for Amad. That changed on Saturday, when Rob Dawson reported that the player was sidelined because of injury. No further details have been made available.
Amad is one of four players unavailable for the fixture. Veteran goalkeeper Tom Heaton and center back Matthijs de Ligt were also ruled out, while Mason Mount failed a late fitness test after suffering a knock in preseason.
Carrick had previously made clear that Mount still had a chance of being involved, describing his status as “touch and go,” but the midfielder was ultimately not considered fit enough to take part. With Amad out and Mount also missing, United’s attacking options were altered again on the opening day.
