Hull Stun Manchester United as Spurs Humiliated by Brentford

Michael Carrick walked into the new Premier League season vowing not to lose his cool. After 90 bruising minutes at the MKM Stadium, that resolve was tested to the limit.

His Manchester United side, tipped to chase the title after finishing third last season, were out-fought and out-thought by newly promoted Hull, who stormed to a 2-0 win despite an injury list that stripped them of 10 players.

Semi Ajayi and Nobel Mendy did the damage before half-time, punishing a United team that never found any rhythm and rarely looked like responding. Hull, back in the top flight for the first time since 2017, played with the energy and conviction of a side intent on staying there.

United, by contrast, looked like they had believed their own billing.

Hull’s fearless return – and an Aussie debut

Hull’s opener set the tone. Ajayi struck in the first half, Mendy followed, and suddenly the MKM Stadium was bouncing to the sound of a side that refused to feel sorry for itself despite a decimated squad.

The afternoon grew even more memorable for home fans when teenage Socceroos defender Lucas Herrington came off the bench in the 64th minute. Signed from MLS side Colorado Rapids in a deal reported at around $A33 million, the 18-year-old slotted in with impressive composure, showing enough assurance to suggest he will not be content with cameo roles for long.

Hull’s vibrant display shredded any notion that United would simply ease into their supposed title challenge. There was little in Carrick’s team to suggest they can go stride for stride with champions Arsenal on this evidence.

Carrick, though, refused to lash out.

“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, making it clear he would not repeat the emotional eruptions that helped 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.”

Calm on the outside. Serious questions brewing underneath.

Big-spending Spurs taken apart by Brentford

Across London, another supposed heavyweight project took an early hit.

Tottenham, who have spent over £200 million ($A380 million) to rebuild a squad that only just dodged relegation on the final day last season, were taken apart 3-0 by a sharp, fearless Brentford side assembled for a fraction of the cost.

Roberto De Zerbi threw four of his new signings straight into the starting XI. Sandro Tonali, Andrew Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke all began, while Mateus Fernandes came on in the second half. On paper, it looked like a statement of intent.

On the pitch, it looked like a team still trying to remember each other’s names.

Brentford sensed vulnerability and went for the throat. Keane Lewis-Potter and Vitaly Janelt struck in the first half, Keith Andrews’ side slicing through Spurs’ structure with ease. When Michael Kayode added a third after the interval, the scoreline finally reflected the gulf in cohesion and belief.

It could have been even uglier. Igor Thiago missed a penalty that would have made it 4-0 and turned a humbling into a full-blown humiliation.

For Tottenham’s hierarchy, who sanctioned another lavish outlay, the questions will come quickly. For Brentford, this was the perfect reminder that organisation and clarity can still overwhelm expensive chaos.

Sage’s Palace era starts with a jolt

At Goodison Park, another new era began with a grim reality check.

Pierre Sage, appointed after a stellar spell at Lens where he delivered a second-place finish in Ligue 1 and a French Cup win, watched his Crystal Palace side fall 2-0 to Everton.

Palace arrive from a position of rare strength. Under Oliver Glasner they lifted the FA Cup in 2025 and followed it with a UEFA Conference League triumph last season. Glasner’s move to Nottingham Forest opened the door for Sage, but his first Premier League outing underlined the scale of the task.

Everton struck against the run of play just before half-time. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall robbed Daniel Munoz and unleashed a powerful drive into the far corner past Dean Henderson in the 42nd minute. A moment of carelessness, punished ruthlessly.

Any hopes of a Palace response faded early in the second half. Thierno Barry rose to meet an Iliman Ndiaye cross with a thumping 53rd-minute header, stretching Everton’s lead and deepening Sage’s frustration.

Glasner floored late, Ipswich deliver late drama

Glasner’s own new chapter started no better.

In his first match as Nottingham Forest manager, the Austrian watched his side concede an 88th-minute free-kick in a 1-0 home defeat to Leeds at the City Ground. Anton Stach’s effort squirmed past Matz Sels, a soft goal at a brutal moment, and Leeds walked away with the points.

There is no time for Glasner to dwell. The same opponents await in the League Cup second round on Tuesday, offering Forest a swift chance at revenge—or a rapid deepening of early-season anxiety.

At Portman Road, the mood could not have been more different. Ipswich, back in the Premier League, marked their return with a dramatic 2-1 win over Sunderland.

Emersonn opened his account with a debut goal in the 24th minute, only for Nilson Angulo to level with a superb free-kick 15 minutes later. The game drifted towards a draw, tension rising, until Jack Clarke curled home in the 90th minute to ignite the stadium.

For new Ipswich boss Gary O’Neil, who replaced Kieran McKenna, it was the ideal start: a late winner, a roaring home crowd, and an early injection of belief.

New eras for City and Liverpool

The weekend’s narrative is far from complete.

On Sunday, Manchester City step into unfamiliar territory as they begin life without Pep Guardiola. Enzo Maresca takes charge for the first time against Bournemouth, tasked with maintaining a dynasty that has defined the league’s recent history.

Liverpool also enter a new chapter. Mohamed Salah has departed, and Andoni Iraola, formerly of Bournemouth, now leads the Reds into their opener against Newcastle. A new manager, a reshaped attack, and a fanbase eager to see what comes next.

Arsenal, at least, have started as if nothing has changed. The champions opened their title defence with a commanding 3-0 home win over promoted Coventry on Friday, setting a standard that their supposed challengers have already failed to match.

One weekend in, the fault lines are already visible. The question now: who steadies first, and who starts to crack?