Millar's 82nd-minute strike gives Hull back-to-back Premier League wins at Coventry

Liam Millar's 82nd-minute winner gave Hull victory over Coventry City at the CBS Arena on Saturday in a Premier League match, securing the promoted side's second win in two games. The result left Hull with a perfect start to their return to the top flight.

Liam Millar scored three goals for Hull as they were promoted last season. After an opening-day victory over Manchester United, Sergej Jakirovic's team produced a different, grit-driven display at Coventry. Their Premier League survival chances were written off instantly after beating Middlesbrough in the Championship play-off final last season. They now sit second in the early table, and the away fans even sang "we're going to win the league" as players and supporters celebrated.

At the CBS Arena, Semi Ajayi dominated at the heart of Hull's defence while Nobel Mendy and Lucas Gourna-Douath also towered above the hosts and Ollie McBurnie was a constant nuisance. Coventry had almost 70% possession but were unable to break Hull down as the Sky Blues ultimately ran out of ideas. Prior to the substitute's winner there was frustration pouring out of Mendy when Hull's record signing threw his hands in the air and pulled his shirt over his head after being withdrawn on the hour.

Hull are the first promoted side to win their opening two games for nine years, since Huddersfield dispatched Crystal Palace and Newcastle. Only three teams have ever been relegated from the top flight having won their first two games: the Tigers themselves in 2016-17, Wolves in 2011-12 and West Brom in 2017-18. The Terriers beat the drop by four points in 2017-18 and that remains the goal for boss Sergej Jakirovic.

For Coventry, the defeat compounded an opening 3-0 loss at Arsenal and a second successive reverse leaves the newly promoted side already facing early pressure. Having scored 97 goals in winning the title last season they must rediscover that touch, and Haji Wright's thigh injury, which will keep him sidelined for weeks, is an added setback. Owner Doug King watched from the stands as the Sky Blues failed to recover from Millar's 82nd-minute strike, and seven of the starting XI were retained from the 0-0 draw against Hull that opened last season's Championship campaign.

"To say we're the worst team in Premier League history, it's not a bad start from the boys," said Ollie McBurnie, in a light-hearted jab to Hull's critics. "We don't feel we have anything to prove to anyone. No-one has given us the Premier League, we have all earned it," said striker McBurnie. "We're there on merit, we deserve to be there, we don't have anything to prove to anyone. It's been a great start."

There was a nervousness about the Sky Blues, which was picked up by boss Frank Lampard. "This season was always going to be very different to last season but I sensed a bit of edge, that quality of pass and playing safe rather than play forward," he said. "Maybe that is apprehension." "There are 36 games left, we're two games in," Lampard added.

"They blitzed the Championship last year and were full of confidence coming into the season. But after two defeats everything suddenly becomes that much harder," Ashley Williams said on the BBC's Final Score programme. "As players, you look at the table and it's not nice when you are at the wrong end of it." Coventry's next assignment is away to Manchester City, a fixture the report described as "far from ideal."