Manchester United Stunned by Hull City, Tottenham Humiliated by Brentford
Manchester United’s season began with a thud, not a statement.
Beaten 2-0 by newly promoted Hull City at the MKM Stadium, Michael Carrick’s side looked nothing like title contenders. Hull, back in the Premier League for the first time since 2017 and missing 10 players through injury, simply tore into them.
Semi Ajayi struck first, Nobel Mendy followed before the interval, and United never really recovered. Hull played with bite and belief; United played as if the season had caught them by surprise.
For Carrick, under pressure to turn last season’s third-place finish into a genuine title tilt, this was a chastening opening. There was little to suggest they are ready to trade blows with champions Arsenal.
He refused, though, to turn the dressing room into a blast furnace.
“We came here to win so to not take anything away is hugely disappointing. It is not a nice feeling but it is not going to change our direction as a team or a club,” he said, determined not to repeat the emotional volatility that cost Ruben Amorim his job last season.
“You have to carry on as normal. We just don’t all have to shout and scream and create some chaos. Calmness doesn’t mean there is not emotion.”
Hull, by contrast, walked off to roars and optimism. Their performance had a fresh face at its heart.
Teenage Socceroos defender Lucas Herrington, signed from Colorado Rapids in a deal worth a reported $A33 million, came off the bench in the 64th minute for his Premier League debut. At 18, he looked anything but overawed, delivering an assured cameo that will fuel the argument he should not be a bit-part player for long.
Tottenham’s costly rebuild torn apart
If United’s defeat stung, Tottenham’s afternoon in west London was downright embarrassing.
After spending over £200 million ($A380 million) to overhaul a squad that only just escaped relegation on the final day last season, Spurs were dismantled 3-0 by Brentford, a club built on a fraction of their budget but with far more cohesion.
Roberto De Zerbi threw his new toys straight into the fire. Sandro Tonali, Andrew Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke all started, while Mateus Fernandes entered from the bench. The names were big. The performance was brittle.
Brentford sensed it and went for the throat.
Keane Lewis-Potter opened the scoring, Vitaly Janelt added a second before the break, and Keith Andrews’ side swarmed all over a disjointed Tottenham. Michael Kayode’s strike after the interval made it three and exposed just how fragile De Zerbi’s revamped side still are.
It could have been even uglier. Igor Thiago stepped up from the spot with the chance to make it 4-0 and missed, a rare reprieve for Spurs on a day that raised serious questions about where all that money has actually taken them.
Sage’s Palace era starts with a stumble
At Goodison Park, Crystal Palace’s new French manager Pierre Sage discovered how unforgiving this league can be.
Taking over from Oliver Glasner, the man who delivered the FA Cup in 2025 and the UEFA Conference League last season, Sage arrived from Lens with a reputation polished by a second-place finish in Ligue 1 and a French Cup triumph. His first Premier League outing ended in a 2-0 defeat to Everton.
The game twisted just before half-time. Against the run of play, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall robbed Daniel Munoz in the 42nd minute and drove a fierce shot into the far corner past Dean Henderson.
Any hope of a Palace response after the break vanished eight minutes into the second half. Thierno Barry powered home a bullet header from Iliman Ndiaye’s cross, deepening Sage’s early misery and underlining the size of the job he has inherited.
Glasner’s Forest slip, Leeds strike late
Glasner, now in charge at Nottingham Forest, did not find joy in his new surroundings either.
His first match at the City Ground ended in a 1-0 defeat to Leeds, settled by an 88th-minute free-kick from Anton Stach that squirmed past goalkeeper Matz Sels. It was a scruffy goal, but Leeds did not care. The late strike banked three points and set up a quick-fire rematch: the sides meet again in the League Cup second round on Tuesday.
Ipswich announce their return in style
Portman Road, meanwhile, rediscovered the Premier League’s electricity.
Ipswich, back in the top flight, claimed a dramatic 2-1 win over Sunderland that felt like a statement of intent as much as a result. Emersonn opened the scoring on his debut in the 24th minute, only for Nilson Angulo to hit back with a fine free-kick in the 39th.
The game seemed to be drifting towards a draw. Jack Clarke had other ideas.
In the 90th minute, he curled home the winner, handing Gary O’Neil victory in his first match as Ipswich boss after replacing Kieran McKenna. One game, one win, and a surge of belief around a club that has fought hard to get back to this stage.
New eras at City and Liverpool, Arsenal already rolling
The weekend is far from done.
On Sunday, Manchester City step into life after Pep Guardiola. Enzo Maresca takes charge for the first time against Bournemouth, tasked with keeping a serial winner on top without the architect who built the dynasty.
Liverpool are also turning a page. Mohamed Salah has gone, a seismic departure, and Andoni Iraola, once of Bournemouth, now leads the rebuild. His first test comes against Newcastle.
Arsenal, at least, look as if nothing has changed. The champions opened their title defence on Friday with an emphatic 3-0 win over promoted Coventry, a reminder to United, Tottenham and everyone else: the standard has already been set. Who is really ready to chase it?
