Hull City 2-0 Manchester United: Ajayi savours ‘amazing’ Premier League victory

Semi Ajayi said Hull City’s 2-0 win over Manchester United was “amazing” after his historic opening goal helped the Tigers claim a memorable Premier League victory at the MKM Stadium.

Hull produced an impressive performance against Michael Carrick’s side on Saturday, with Ajayi scoring in the 17th minute to give the hosts the lead.

The Nigeria international reacted quickest after Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens had denied Oli McBurnie from a corner. Ajayi then finished the loose ball to put Hull ahead and give the home side something to defend.

His goal carried added significance for Hull City, as it was the club’s first Premier League goal in nine years.

Ajayi was delighted to have made such a decisive contribution after Hull had started the match strongly but failed to convert their earlier opportunities.

“It was amazing. It kind of capped off the really good start that we had. We had a couple of chances before that which we didn’t manage to put away, but obviously that one got us into the lead, and also gave us something to protect, but also build on,” Ajayi told TNT Sports.

The result completed a notable afternoon for Sergej Jakirovic’s team, who held on to their advantage before adding a second goal and securing all three points against Manchester United.

Ajayi said scoring the opener was particularly satisfying because it set the direction for the rest of the contest.

“I’m buzzing to get the goal to get us underway. I’m happy it left us getting three points.”

The centre-back also called for Hull to stay focused and avoid being distracted by reaction to their victory. Despite the scale of the result, he said the squad would continue to concentrate on its own standards and the belief within the dressing room.

“We’re not really focusing on outside noise. We’re just worried about what goes on in the changing room. We know what we’ve got in the changing room, we believe in ourselves, and we back ourselves to do our best every single day,” added the centre-back.

Hull’s victory was described as a stunning result after Manchester United were beaten 2-0 in the closely contested encounter. For Ajayi, the win offered an early indication of what the side could achieve if it maintained the level of performance shown at the MKM Stadium.

“So, more performances like this, and hopefully, we’ll have a really, really positive season.”

Ajayi’s goal and Hull’s clean-sheet victory ensured the club’s return to the Premier League was marked by a significant result, while the Tigers now look to build on their success under Jakirovic.

By Adeboye Amosu