Manchester United suffered one of the biggest opening-day surprises in Premier League history when Michael Carrick’s side were beaten 2-0 by newly promoted Hull City on Saturday.
Hull, returning to the top flight after a nine-year absence, were comfortably the better team and secured a result that had never previously been achieved by the club: a Premier League victory over United.
The defeat also marked the first time Manchester United have lost their opening league match of a season against a newly promoted side. For Hull City, it was a landmark win; for United, it was a sharp reminder that pre-season optimism can quickly disappear once the competitive action begins.
It was not, however, the first shock result on the opening weekend of a Premier League campaign, and it will not be the last. Several clubs have endured similarly painful starts, with some opening-day defeats setting the tone for the months that followed.
Arsenal stunned by Brentford
When Brentford beat Arsenal 2-0 in 2021, the result was a major upset, even though Arsenal were not yet the Premier League champions they are now.
Brentford had been widely expected to struggle after promotion and were tipped by many to drop straight back into the Championship. Instead, the Bees produced an energetic and commanding performance in front of a vociferous crowd at the Gtech Community Stadium.
The occasion carried extra significance because it was Brentford’s first Premier League match. It was also the first Premier League fixture played without capacity restrictions since the Covid-19 pandemic, making the atmosphere and result even more memorable for the home side.
Burnley expose Chelsea’s title defence
Chelsea could scarcely have imagined a more difficult beginning to their Premier League title defence than a home defeat by Burnley.
Gary Cahill was sent off after only 14 minutes, leaving Chelsea to play most of the match with 10 men. Sean Dyche’s Burnley took full advantage and established a 3-0 lead before half-time.
Chelsea attempted to recover after the break, but Sam Vokes had already inflicted the decisive damage at Stamford Bridge. Their misery was compounded late in the game when Cesc Fabregas was dismissed, meaning Antonio Conte’s team finished with only nine players.
Villa punish Arsenal in a fiery contest
Aston Villa also delivered a memorable opening-day shock at Arsenal, winning 3-1 in a match remembered for its ill-temper as much as its result.
Spanish full-back Antonio Luna, who spent only one season in the Premier League, scored Villa’s third goal to complete an impressive away victory. Christian Benteke, fresh from scoring 19 goals during the previous campaign, struck twice for the visitors.
Arsenal’s afternoon became even worse when Laurent Koscielny was sent off. The match produced nine yellow cards and one red card, making it the most card-filled opening-day game in Premier League history.
Michu inspires Swansea against QPR
Few players have enjoyed a more spectacular Premier League debut than Michu.
The Spanish forward scored twice and created another goal as Swansea City overwhelmed big-spending Queens Park Rangers in west London. The result was a particularly damaging one for QPR, who had signed almost an entirely new starting XI in an attempt to improve their prospects.
Instead, the defeat proved an ominous indication of what was to come. QPR finished the season at the bottom of the table, with their opening-day collapse against Swansea setting an unfortunate tone for the campaign.
Liverpool suffer at West Brom
On the same opening weekend, Brendan Rodgers’ reign as Liverpool manager began with a chastening 3-0 defeat away to West Bromwich Albion.
Liverpool struggled badly, with their defensive problems highlighted by Daniel Agger’s red card and Martin Skrtel conceding a penalty. West Brom took advantage of the visitors’ disjointed display.
Romelu Lukaku scored the first of the 17 goals he would register for Albion during his season-long loan from Chelsea.
Against that history, Manchester United’s defeat at Hull City joins a long list of unexpected opening-day setbacks but its significance is heightened by Hull becoming the first newly promoted side to beat United in the opening match of a Premier League season.
