Carrick Tries to Spin Humiliation as United's Season Kicks Off (Sort Of)

United got punched in the mouth at the MKM Stadium. Outfought. Outplayed. A truly deflating start to Carrick's first full season. Even with Andre Santos and Youri Tielemans brought in, this team looked lost.

Carrick admitted the loss stings. Of course it stings. But he tried to spin it. Pushed back against the usual post-match hysterics. "We did some good things today," he told TNT Sport. "It will get lost." Perhaps. "Never going to be perfect," he continued, "but going behind and giving ourselves a lot to do makes it more difficult." He then trotted out the old line about newly-promoted sides at home being "a particular challenge." Especially when you gift them an early goal, I guess.

Don't let Carrick's optimism fool you. The numbers tell a grimmer story. United dropped 63 per cent of their duels. Two thirds of their headers gone in the opening half. Not tactical naivety. This was a physical mismatch. Plain and simple. Hull just wanted it more.

Bruno Fernandes, the captain, didn't bother with the spin. He sounded like a man who'd seen this movie before. "Same mistakes we made last season," he told TNT Sport. "Every away game we give too much of the ball to the opponent." He was clear. No pressing. Soft on set-pieces. Hull, credit where it's due, ripped them apart there. Ruthless.

An early reality check for United. Maybe a slap to the face. Hull, remember, was missing eight first-teamers. Eight. And still ran them ragged. That's the real story.