Hull upset Man Utd as Carrick keeps a calm public face after defeat
On Saturday at Hull, Hull City beat Manchester United in a Premier League match when two first-half goals secured Hull's first top-flight victory over United and handed United their first opening-game defeat to a newly promoted side.
Manchester United supporters were among 2,400 travelling fans affected by mid-match announcements that two return trains to Manchester had been cancelled, prompting home fans to taunt visitors with chants including "You should have come in a taxi." Marcus Rashford was introduced at half-time for his first United appearance since December 2024; six of Carrick's starting line-up had returned to training on 9 July and the manager had overseen six pre-season games, although United had lost to AC Milan in Poland the previous weekend.
"They didn't create much, which was the biggest worry," former United striker Wayne Rooney told BBC Sport. "When you play a promoted team, it's always difficult. First game of the season away from home, United just didn't seem ready for it." Alan Shearer told BBC Radio Five Live: "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."
United captain Bruno Fernandes criticised the team's approach after the match, saying: "Same mistakes as we did last season in every away game. "We give too much of the ball to them. In the first 20 minutes the goalkeeper had more touches on the ball, too much time. "We need to press a little bit more, be more aggressive, and set-plays - we need to work on it, to be more aggressive and try not to concede these types of goals." Hull boss Sergej Jakirovic said he had identified set-pieces as an area to target in the build-up to the game.
Michael Carrick presented a controlled public response to the defeat and urged perspective, saying: "It's just one game, we're disappointed we haven't won. "It's not more than that, it's not less than that. "We've got to soak it up and come back stronger." The article contrasted Carrick's measured public demeanour with the volatility of former United boss Ruben Amorim.
Acknowledging his own emotions while remaining outwardly composed, Carrick told reporters: "I'm talking to you quite calm," adding, "But I'm not exactly calm inside and enjoying the day, you know? "It's 100% not that, trust me, it's not that. Inside we're hurting but it doesn't mean we all have to shout and scream and come out and create some chaos. The calmness doesn't mean there's no emotion in it, for sure." The £70m transfer of Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba has already been agreed, the club noted.
Carrick rejected the notion that United had received a soft opening to the season by calling it "ridiculous" to think his side had been given a "favourable" start, and added: "I know a lot goes on outside our football club. "I understand and I understand the responsibility I've got. "I get it. We've lost today and there's questions to be asked. But it doesn't mean everything's wrong. It doesn't make me do things differently." Manchester United's next match is at Old Trafford against newly promoted Ipswich on 30 August.