It’s time for the English Premier League season, and Saturday’s slate brings us some fascinating matchups. Recently promoted Hull City will welcome Manchester United to their grounds for their first Premier League match since 2017. Can they kick off their campaign with a massive upset? Or will the favored Red Devils secure the road victory?
Manchester United are solid -250 favorites on the moneyline for this one on DraftKings Sportsbook, with a draw available at +370. Hull City’s moneyline is set at +650.
Hull City vs. Man United Prediction, Pick
First things first, let’s look at the moves these teams have made so far during the summer transfer window.
Hull City spent big to boost their defense. They dropped a combined €38.2 million on two young center-backs: Nobel Mendy from Rayo Vallecano and Lucas Herrington from the Colorado Rapids. Hull also spent big on goalkeepers, purchasing Konstantinos Tzolakis from Olympiacos and Jack Butland from Rangers while selling Ivor Pandur back to Rangers. Matt Targett also joined on a free transfer from Newcastle to shore up the left-back position. The central midfield got a boost as well with the arrival of Jens Hjertø-Dahl, Lucas Gourna-Douath, Hidemasa Morita, and Óscar Zambrano.
In attack, Hull is largely keeping things the same. Leeds United loanee Joe Gelhardt is staying on a permanent transfer and has formed a potent attacking duo with Oli McBurnie in the Championship. With a solid pair of attacking midfielders in Mohamed Belloumi and Liam Millar, there’s reason to believe this attack can keep its head above water in the Premier League.
All things considered, Manchester United had a quiet transfer window. They brought in a pair of Premier League midfielders: Andrey Santos from Chelsea and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa. With Casemiro departing for Inter Miami, a major priority was to add depth and athleticism at defensive midfield. Casemiro was arguably their biggest weakness last season, and they won’t be upset to see him go. Aside from a minor switch at backup goalkeeper, the other big move was selling Rasmus Højlund to Napoli, ending an unsuccessful spell at Old Trafford. But Marcus Rashford is back in town, and ready to lock back in for the Red Devils under new manager Michael Carrick.
For this match, all eyes are on Hull’s defense. Recently promoted clubs tend to be on the back foot, playing off the ball and scrambling to get any points they can. Armed with a new goalkeeper, new back line, and a new defensive midfield, it’s going to be a big test for Hull to see if they can hold up against such a strong attack. Rashford, Bruno Fernandes, Matheus Cunha, and Bryan Mbeumo are no strangers to attacking against a parked bus; they’ll show patience and wait for their opportunities to develop. Will Hull be able to do enough to keep Manchester United from running wild?
One key factor here is that United’s defense is on shaky ground. They’re integrating a new goalkeeping room and navigating multiple injuries on the back line. While I do expect United to find the breakthrough goals here, they’re going to be mindful of the counterattack and will occasionally be a bit cagey in possession. Once they get that first goal, I don’t expect the Devils to press hard for another, which favors the under.
