Hull City begin life back in the Premier League by hosting Manchester United in Saturday’s early kick-off as they look to put early points on the board in their first top-flight campaign since the 2016/17 season.
The Tigers won promotion via the Championship play-offs where they defeat Millwall and Middlesbrough despite only finishing sixth in the league table last year. That makes them one of the favoured teams to face the drop this year but a good start to the campaign will give them the confidence to kick on.
Meanwhile, Michael Carrick’s side are aiming to improve on their third place finish last year, with the former midfielder revamping the position he knows best, which could prove to be the foundation of a potential title challenge to push defending champions Arsenal. United have a favourable start to the season with today’s encounter followed by clashes against Ipswich and Everton and Carrick will be looking to set down an early marker.
Reinforcements have arrived in the forms of Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans, with Carlos Baleba expected to join in the coming hours to further bolster the midfield, while Marcus Rashford has returned following a loan spell at Barcelona. Can United put some early wins on the board?
Follow all the action from Hull vs Manchester United with our live blog below:
Why Carlos Baleba could be the missing piece in Manchester United’s new midfield
There is inherent risk with any major transfer, and perhaps the biggest gamble Manchester United are taking, should they sign Brighton’s Carlos Baleba, is that they don’t yet quite know who he is or what he might become.
Is he the brilliant teenager who commanded Premier League midfields when he first arrived at Brighton, or the 22-year-old of last season who let that form slip away? Is he a defensive midfielder who stitches play together, or a box-to-box all-action superhero? Is he a destroyer of oppositions’ plans, or something altogether more refined?
Baleba grew up in Cameroon where his footballer father put him on a gruelling training programme aged 10, and he was signed by Lille on his 18th birthday. His performances in France pinged radars at Jamestown Analytics, the secretive company informing Brighton’s recruitment, and Baleba moved to the Premier League in a £23m transfer.
Why Carlos Baleba could be the missing piece in Manchester United’s new midfield
Manchester United are close to signing the Brighton and Cameroon midfielder in a transfer expected to be worth around £70mJack Rathborn22 August 2026 09:45
Hull City vs Manchester United predicted line-ups
Hull City: Tzolakis; Coyle, Ajayi, Mendy, Targett; Slater, Crooks; Belloumi, Morita, Stroud; McBurnie.
Man Utd: Lammens; Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw; Mainoo, Tielemans; Amad, Fernandes, Cunha; Mbeumo
Jack Rathborn22 August 2026 09:38
Hull City vs Manchester United team news
Hull City have plenty of injuries to navigate with key players missing. Goalkeeper Jack Butland is out and so to are defenders John Egan, Cody Drameh, Charlie Hughes, and Jens Hjertø-Dahl. In midfield Darko Gyabi, Paddy McNair, Matty Jacob, and Oscar Zambrano are absent while forwards Liam Millar and Enis Destan are unlikely to feature.
Michael Carrick, meanwhile, has a fair amount of squad players to select from. Benjamin Sesko is back in training despite not taking part in pre-season though he could make an appearance off the bench. Matthijs de Ligt has also trained but his recovery will be managed and he is not expected to return until October. Mason Mount meanwhile has a foot issue, sustained in the draw with PSG and will not play. Manuel Ugarte is a long-term absentee due to an ACL injury picked up in the World Cup.
Jack Rathborn22 August 2026 09:30
The three key positions Man United need to upgrade to win Premier League
Manchester United kick off their Premier League campaign away to Hull City this weekend, and there is plenty of optimism around Old Trafford as the new season begins.
The arrival of Michael Carrick brought a positive end to last season, with United impressing at times as they finished third in the Premier League and secured a place in the Champions League.
Many will be now expecting Carrick to build on last season’s success. While the club is aiming to return to regular Champions League football, the longer-term goal is to build a team that is capable of fighting for the Premier League.
The three key positions Man United need to upgrade to win Premier League
The potential arrival of Carlos Baleba means Michael Carrick’s midfield rebuild might be complete, but there are glaring gaps elsewhere in the squad as the new season beginsJack Rathborn22 August 2026 09:18
Hull City vs Manchester United
Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of Hull City vs Manchester United.
The Premier League is back after Arsenal’s routine win over Coventry last night, with Mikel Arteta’s side setting the standard, with expectations high after Indy Sport’s 2026/27 predictions.
Now it’s time for Man United to kick things off, with Michael Carrick’s side in a position to potentially mount a first title charge in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era at Old Trafford.
The Tigers will relish a home game since returning to the Premier League, despite their xG putting them 23rd in the Championship table last term, pointing to a ruthless streak under Sergej Jakirovic.
We’ll have all the latest build-up and transfer updates concerning both clubs ahead of kick-off.
Jack Rathborn22 August 2026 09:08