'We punished Man Utd' - Hull City boss Sergej Jakirovic hails tactical masterclass in shock win

Hull City marked their long-awaited return to the Premier League with a performance that will live long in the memory of the MKM Stadium faithful. Having spent nine years away from the top flight, the Tigers showed no signs of intimidation as they dismantled a Manchester United side that had entered the season with high expectations following a third-place finish last term.

The Tigers drew first blood when Senne Lammens expertly tipped Oli McBurnie's initial strike onto the post, only for Semi Ajayi to pounce on the rebound and slam it home. Hull doubled their advantage shortly after, as club-record signing Nobel Mendy marked his debut in style by rising highest to head in Regan Slater's pinpoint free-kick, sending the home crowd into wild celebrations.

Speaking after the final whistle, Jakirovic could not hide his pride in how his players executed a complex game plan against one of the league's heavyweights. It was a statement performance in Hull's first top-flight fixture since their painful 7-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in May 2017. 'It means a lot, we were organised and it was very good for us,' Jakirovic told BBC Match of the Day. 'The players stick to a tactical plan, we suffer because we play against Manchester United but we punished the opponent. We are one year together, we had three new guys and all together they looked like a team there and in the end we succeeded.'

The manager also highlighted the resilience shown by his squad, especially given the late changes required in his starting eleven. 'We had a lot of problems because we made four substitutions in our defensive line which is unusual,' the Bosnian coach admitted. 'You have to play, you have to fight and maybe now we need more players.'

Despite the euphoria of the result, Jakirovic remains grounded, acknowledging that there is a long road ahead in the battle for Premier League survival. The Tigers have endured a remarkable journey since their 2017 relegation, dropping down as far as League One before securing their top-flight return via a 1-0 win over Middlesbrough in last season's Championship play-off final. When asked about those who tipped Hull for an immediate return to the second tier, Jakirovic remained defiant. 'This is football. We are professionals. We are trying to prove people wrong, I know there are 37 games to go but this is a good base for the future,' he stated firmly.

According to Opta, Manchester United suffered a defeat on the opening day of a Premier League season against a newly promoted side for the very first time in their history, having previously remained unbeaten in their first 13 such encounters (W10 D3).

The opening-day setback marks a major disappointment for Carrick's men. Manchester United will look to put the defeat behind them and get their campaign back on track when they host another newly promoted side, Ipswich Town, at Old Trafford on August 30. Meanwhile, triumphant Hull City will seek to build on their dream start when they travel to face Coventry City on August 29.