Hull City’s first Premier League fixture in nearly a decade ended in a 2-0 win over Manchester United on 22 August. It is the manner of the two goals that has stayed with United through the weeks that have followed.

Ajayi latched onto a loose ball inside the United box in the 17th minute and finished from close range. Mendy, on his Premier League debut, doubled the lead 21 minutes later, meeting a Regan Slater free-kick with a header at the near post. Both goals came from deliveries into the same corner of the United area.

Konstantinos Tzolakis, Hull’s goalkeeper, made a one-handed save from Bryan Mbeumo’s half-volley on 13 minutes, and later denied the Cameroon forward on 78 minutes for what became United’s only meaningful second-half chance. Between those two moments, Hull did the damage.

Neither goalscorer finished the match. Ajayi and Mendy were both withdrawn on 64 minutes, but Hull saw the game out without conceding.

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Rashford returns after 618 days

The one lift of the afternoon for the away end came at the interval. Marcus Rashford replaced Patrick Dorgu, wearing the No. 9 shirt, and made his first competitive appearance for Manchester United in 618 days. He had spent the previous season on loan at Barcelona.

His return produced no goal and few clear openings.

Fernandes points to old mistakes

Bruno Fernandes did not soften the verdict afterwards.

“Same mistakes as last season,” the United captain said.

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“We need to be more aggressive and work on set-plays.”

Michael Carrick was more measured.

“Some bits were OK, but going behind made things difficult,” he said.

“We had moments and opportunities but lacked spark.”

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United went into the game without Carlos Baleba, the £65m Cameroon midfielder signed from Brighton during the summer, who was still recovering from a pre-season ankle injury.

They have since drawn 2-2 at Everton, and beaten Azerbaijan’s Sabah 4-0 at Old Trafford on Thursday night in their return to the Champions League league phase. Manchester City visit Old Trafford for the derby on Sunday, Enzo Maresca’s first Manchester derby as City head coach.

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