Manchester United’s Premier League opener against Hull City may be considerably harder to prepare for than Michael Carrick would have expected after a £78million overhaul transformed the newly-promoted side.
United travel to the MKM Stadium on Saturday looking to respond to an uncomfortable end to pre-season.
Carrick’s team conceded four against AC Milan in their final friendly, but attention must now turn quickly towards an opponent that has changed substantially since winning promotion.
Hull have completed 11 summer signings, spending approximately £78m as they attempt to build a squad capable of surviving in the Premier League. The Guardian’s new season preview outlines the scale of their rebuild.
Hull’s £78m overhaul creates Man Utd scouting problem
United would normally have months of evidence available when preparing to face a promoted side.
Hull make that process more complicated.
Eleven additions mean the team Carrick faces on Saturday could have different combinations, strengths and weaknesses from the one United’s analysts watched during last season’s promotion campaign.
That makes the opening stages at the MKM Stadium particularly important.
Carrick will need his players to recognise Hull’s shape and pressing triggers quickly rather than relying entirely on assumptions formed from Championship footage.
ReadManUtd previously highlighted why beginning the season away against a newly-promoted side carries its own risks, particularly with the emotion surrounding a first Premier League home game.
Hull’s summer spending adds another layer to that challenge.
One huge Hull weakness should still encourage Man Utd
The rebuild does not erase what happened last season.
Hull conceded 66 goals in the Championship despite eventually earning promotion through the play-offs.
That gives United a clear area to target.
Carrick has several attacking questions to resolve after pre-season, particularly with Benjamin Sesko still working towards full fitness, but Bryan Mbeumo, Amad, Matheus Cunha and Bruno Fernandes give United enough movement to test a defence still learning to play together.
A heavily rebuilt back line can take time to develop communication and understanding.
United should therefore look to make the opening game uncomfortable from the start rather than allowing Hull’s new-look side time to settle.
AC Milan warning makes Hull opener even more important
United cannot focus entirely on Hull’s problems.
Their own defensive performance against Milan demonstrated how quickly control can disappear when a game becomes stretched.
Carrick’s side twice took the lead before eventually losing 4-2, making defensive organisation one of the main issues to address during the final week before competitive football.
That makes Saturday fascinating.
Hull have spent heavily trying to build a Premier League squad, while United are attempting to tighten up after an uneven end to pre-season.
Carrick will still expect to win.
But facing 11 new signings in a £78m rebuild means United’s supposedly straightforward opening fixture contains more uncertainty than the league table from last season suggests.
