Big match analysis: Hull City show fighting spirit to keep Manchester United quiet at Old Trafford

JUST a couple of hours after MPs voted overwhelmingly to formally start the Brexit process, Hull City last night underlined their commitment to remain part of the Premier League union.
Manchester United's Zlatan Ibrahimovic (left) and Hull City's Harry Miguire battle for the ball.Manchester United's Zlatan Ibrahimovic (left) and Hull City's Harry Miguire battle for the ball.
Manchester United's Zlatan Ibrahimovic (left) and Hull City's Harry Miguire battle for the ball.

A gutsy and battling display ensured the Tigers’ nine-game losing run on the road came to an end as Marco Silva’s men made it clear the Yorkshire club has no intention of handing in its membership of English football’s elite come May.

City deserved their point on a night when Eldin Jakupovic pulled off three stunning saves and Tom Huddlestone was the best – and most composed – player on the pitch.

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Coming on the back of last week’s first victory over the Red Devils since 1974 in the League Cup semi-final second leg, such a heartening display suggests Silva’s arrival at the KCOM has come in the nick of time.

Belief has been restored, as was evident by the chants of ‘we are staying up’ at the final whistle that were booming out of the away end.

If a referendum was to be held by the folk of the East Riding this morning as to whether Hull can avoid the drop, the ‘yes’ vote would surely be much, much higher than would have been the case even a month ago.

Silva said: “It is a very good result for us against a very good team. The secret, we played like a team with a great attitude spirit and character.

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“What we showed tonight again, I am happy. Sometimes you have to suffer in moments but we have to play as a team.”

Of course, City must now back this battling point up. Liverpool at home and Arsenal away – Hull’s next two fixtures – are not the easiest but then comes a run of games at the KCOM Stadium that are eminently winnable.

Among the heroes in amber and black last night, Jakupovic stood out. He denied Zlatan Ibrahimovic early on with a quite wonderful finger-tipped save that diverted a 25-yard shot that was creeping just inside the post behind.

He repeated the trick just before the break to keep out Paul Pogba’s ferocious shot, the world’s most expensive footballer having been played in by a delightful back-heel from Ibrahimovic.

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And then, just for good measure, Jakupovic somehow blocked a Juan Mata shot 17 minutes from time to earn City their first point on the road since Robert Snodgrass’s stoppage-time equaliser at Burnley in September.

As impressive as this hat-trick of saves was, though, the Swiss international was far from the only Tiger to emerge with huge credit.

Huddlestone, whose form in recent weeks has been among his best in a Hull shirt, was superb, his cool-as-a-cucumber turn inside the visitors’ six-yard box with red shirts all around in the first half typical of a performance that again saw Pogba eclipsed in midfield.

It also reflected the increased confidence Silva has brought to a team who looked down and out as 2017 dawned.

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City could even have claimed a first league win at Old Trafford, Lazar Markovic striking an upright with David De Gea rooted to the spot with just five minutes remaining.

Abel Hernandez was then presented with a great opportunity in the very last minute, a huge punt forward leaving the Uruguayan with a clear route to goal.

However, a poor couple of touches and Ander Herrera racing back stopped Hernandez’s progress and his shot was easily saved by De Gea.

Had either effort gone in, Hull would now be just two points adrift of safety. As it is, Silva’s men are off the bottom of the table thanks to ending a seven-game losing run at the home of the Red Devils.

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City served notice of their battling intentions as early as the second minute when Andrew Robertson whipped the ball off the toe of Henrikh Mkhitaryan just as the Armenian prepared to shoot. The Tigers also crowded out Daley Blind, ensuring the Dutch international’s volleyed shot flew high and wide in between Jakupovic’s saves to deny Ibrahimovic and Pogba.

City’s best moment of the first half came when Harry Maguire headed narrowly wide from an Evandro free-kick but referee Mike Jones had already blown for a foul on Pogba.

A sweeping move six minutes after the restart brought more concerns for the Red Devils but Markovic spurned a chance to shoot and Rojo pulled off an inch-perfect tackle.

City’s two big openings late on were then spurned to set up a frantic finale that twice saw Jakupovic come to the rescue of his side.

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First, he held on to a Rojo header after the ball had pinged around the Hull penalty area. Then, as the hosts piled forward, Jakupovic beat away a curling Pogba effort to ensure City moved off the foot of the table.

Manchester United: De Gea; Valencia, Jones (Smalling 55), Rojo, Blind; Carrick (Rooney 46), Herrera; Mkhitaryan (Mata 62), Pogba, Rashford; Ibrahimovic. Unused substitutes: Martial, Lingard, Young, Romero.

Hull City: Jakupovic; Meyler, Maguire, Dawson, Robertson; Huddlestone; Markovic, Evandro (Elabdellaoui 72), Clucas, Tymon (Ranocchia 66); Niasse (Hernandez 69). Unused substitutes: Maloney, Diomande, Marshall, Bowen.

Referee: M Jones (Cheshire).

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