Hull punished United defence in victory but Carrick’s attack is bigger area of concern
Manchester United again struggled against a back five as the promoted hosts exploited a set-piece weakness
TL;DR
- Hull scored nine league goals from set plays last season, the joint-fewest in the Championship, but scored two in 21 minutes against Manchester United.
- Manchester United's inability to deal with Oli McBurnie as a target man and their slack defending on set pieces were highlighted.
- Manchester United's attacking play is identified as a major concern, with a low average expected goal value per shot, particularly against Hull.
- The team struggled to fashion valuable opportunities against Hull, who conceded the second-most expected goals in the 2025-26 Championship season.
- Hull's manager, Sergej Jakirovic, utilized a back five formation effectively, crowding out Manchester United's attackers.
- Manchester United has won only one of their last six league matches against teams that started with a back three or five.