{
  "id": 2250556,
  "title": "Hull aim to silence critics after unexpected promotion to Premier League",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/20/hull-aim-to-silence-critics-after-unexpected-promotion-to-premier-2250556",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-20T22:21:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/sports/2026/08/21/hull-aim-to-silence-critics-after-unexpected-promotion-to-premier-league"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Hull City manager Sergej Jakirovic is eager to dismiss the doubters who labelled his team relegation favorites before their return to the Premier League. The Tigers secured promotion via the Championship play-offs last season, just 12 months after narrowly avoiding dropping to the third tier. Hull triumphed over Millwall in the semi-finals and Middlesbrough in the final at Wembley, thanks to a last-minute goal by Oli McBurnie. Critics like former England midfielder Joe Cole have dismissed Hull's chances of staying up, but the manager is determined to prove them wrong. \"I saw all these predictions but it is a great motivation to prove them wrong,\" Jakirovic said. \"We have to prepare for everything. It will not be easy, but at least we can fight there. We don't have anything to lose. You play for yourself, and you show your potential on the pitch.\"",
  "summary": "Sergej Jakirovic's side open their first top-flight campaign since 2016-17 against Manchester United amid relegation predictions.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 5,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "Arteta enjoying being the ‘hunted’ and urges Arsenal players to show desire to retain Premier League",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/20/arteta-enjoying-being-the-hunted-and-urges-arsenal-players-to-show",
        "published": "2026-08-20T15:27:33.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "Arsenal vs Coventry: Premier League – prediction, lineups, teams",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/20/arsenal-vs-coventry-premier-league-prediction-lineups-teams",
        "published": "2026-08-20T19:12:56.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Hull aim to silence critics after unexpected promotion to Premier League",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/20/hull-aim-to-silence-critics-after-unexpected-promotion-to-premier",
        "published": "2026-08-20T22:21:04.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "BusinessDay Nigeria",
        "title": "New managers, fresh pressure as Premier League returns",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/21/new-managers-fresh-pressure-as-premier-league-returns",
        "published": "2026-08-21T01:30:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}