After a busy summer of World Cup and transfer action, Manchester United get their season underway in Saturday’s early kick-off against newly promoted Hull City. While many have Hull as favourites for relegation while United are in many people’s predictions for Champions League qualification, Carrick’s side cannot overlook this opening fixture as they are keen to get off to a winning start and lay down a marker before most other teams play, especially given the Hull crowd being truly behind their teams as they make their return to the top flight after 9 years away.

In our preview of the game we are going to take a look at the team news coming into the game including our predicted XI for this one, we will have a look at some of the key battles and players to watch and then of course we will make a prediction for how this one could play out.

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Team News

Carrick has most of his main players from pre-season fit and available for the start of the campaign, with only injury concerns for De Ligt, Mount and Sesko still a concern from the summer action. De Ligt’s long term injury means Ayden Heaven is getting a lot of speculation about a big season where he will likely feature, as he has been key in pre-season and could well start alongside Maguire ahead of Martinez who is a more recent return to proceedings since the World Cup.

Mason Mount has been featured mainly in the centre of midfield in a deeper role, however with his injury against PSG Carrick will more than likely be starting with his two new midfield additions in Santos and Tielemans and possibly the introduction of Mainoo depending on fitness.

Finally, up top Sesko has been a notable absentee from pre-season, and it’s unlikely he will be thrown into this opening game. Instead most expect a front three of Cunha-Mbeumo-Amad with the no.9 role going to Mbeumo with an ability to switch things up if required.

Predicted XI: Lammens, Shaw, Heaven, Maguire, Dalot, Santos, Tielemans, Fernandes, Cunha, Mbeumo, Amad

Key Battles

With Hull the league’s new boys and many people’s favourites to be straight back down, United should have plenty of quality to overcome their opponents on Saturday, and a key battle will certainly be seeing how United’s midfield cope with an expectation to control the game. With the midfield pivot to be more than likely the two new additions in Santos and Tielemans, they could take full control for a long period of the game and see some link-up with Fernandes and the forward line.

Secondly, the front line minus Sesko will mean United are likely looking at a less physical approach for this clash then when Sesko leads the line. With Fernandes looking ahead at United’s more intricate attackers, I expect Hull’s defenders will need to be switched on against the attacking threat and may themselves look to lay down a physical marker to shut down any naivety from the visitors.

In Hull’s squad, there are some notable former United names with Paddy McNair in the setup for Hull and could feature in the defensive line, while their main attacking threat of Oli McBurnie has an interesting narrative of actually being in a United Milk Cup game for the youth sides in 2013 despite never being fully on the books.

Prediction

While the home support for Hull will surely give their side an added boost and make things more difficult for the visiting side, I can’t see anything but a United win to open the season. While Hull might put up more of a fight than some expect this season, I don’t think they’ll get off to winning ways, and given the showings we’ve seen against the European elite sides over the summer, Carrick has his team starting to show some of the quality he’s trying to implement while still recruiting for the season ahead.

Hull City 0-2 Manchester United

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