How Hull kept plan to stun Man Utd secret
Hull City boss Sergej Jakirovic kept his plan to topple Manchester United on their Premier League return under wraps for weeks, assistant head coach Dean Holden tells Match of the Day.
Sergej Jakirovic kept his plan to defeat Manchester United quiet for weeks before their Premier League debut. The Tigers surprised the Red Devils with a 2-0 victory, thanks to goals from Semi Ajayi and Nobel Mendy. The game exploited a back five formation, inspired by observations of Manchester United's pre-season matches, particularly a 4-2 loss to AC Milan under former boss Ruben Amorim.
However, Jakirovic clarified that he had not outright copied Amorim's tactic. Assistant head coach Dean Holden emphasized that Hull City was comfortable playing with limited possession and highlighted their strength in maintaining control in the mid-block. Hull's win, which saw them posting a higher percentage of possession than the Red Devils, came as a shock to many, considering the team had only recently secured their position in the Championship.
Manager Jakirovic and his team remain focused on maintaining their status and building upon their impressive debut.
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