Manchester United had suffered four opening-weekend defeats in seven seasons after Hull City beat them in 2026–27.
Hull defeated United 2–0 at MKM Stadium on 22 August 2026. The result was United’s fourth opening-weekend loss across the previous seven Premier League seasons, an unusually poor record for one of England’s most successful clubs.
The defeat was also notable because it was United’s first Matchweek 1 league loss to a promoted team. Hull were returning to the top flight after nine years away, making the result particularly unexpected.
Manchester United had finished third in the preceding 2025–26 season, so the opening loss contrasted sharply with their previous campaign’s strong finish. Marcus Rashford appeared as a second-half substitute, making his first Premier League appearance for the club since December 2024.
The number refers to defeats across the seven-season span, not the number of goals Hull scored or the number of losses in the 2026–27 campaign alone. Hull’s victory was one of the weekend’s biggest surprises.