Hull Stun United, City Escape Late: The Premier League Is Back
The 2026-27 season opened with a promoted side humbling Manchester United and Enzo Maresca's new-look Manchester City needing stoppage time to avoid a first-day slip.
The 2026-27 Premier League season is one weekend old, and it has already produced a genuine shock, a stoppage-time rescue act, and the first data points of the post-Guardiola era at Manchester City. Opening weekends rarely settle anything, but they do set the questions — and this one set several.
The ambush at the MKM
Newly promoted Hull City, back in the top flight for the first time since 2017, beat Manchester United 2-0 on Saturday. Semi Ajayi headed the Tigers in front on 17 minutes and Nobel Mendy doubled the lead before half-time, and United barely threatened a response. Sky Sports reported that Marcus Rashford made his first competitive United appearance in 618 days as a second-half substitute, but the day belonged entirely to Hull. Captain Bruno Fernandes was blunt afterwards: "Same mistakes as we did last season, every away game we give too much of the ball to them." The result puts immediate pressure on manager Michael Carrick before the window even closes.
City survive Maresca's first test
At the Etihad, Enzo Maresca's first Premier League match in charge of Manchester City nearly went wrong. Bournemouth led from the 26th minute through Marcus Tavernier, and it took until the 84th for Marc Guehi to head an equaliser from a Rayan Cherki corner. Josko Gvardiol then won it 2-1 in stoppage time, the goal surviving a VAR check for offside, per Sky Sports. Not convincing, but champions-elect rarely apologise for late winners in August.
Elsewhere on matchweek one
Arsenal opened the season with a comfortable 3-0 win over promoted Coventry City on Thursday. Brighton thrashed Aston Villa 4-0, Brentford swept Tottenham 3-0, and Newcastle and Liverpool shared a 2-2 draw at St James' Park. Everton beat Crystal Palace 2-0, Ipswich edged Sunderland 2-1, and Leeds won 1-0 at Nottingham Forest, per worldfootball.net. Fulham host Chelsea on Monday to close out the round.