Hull City vs. Manchester United: Score, Grades and Reaction from Premier League
Hull City's relegation from the Premier League was confirmed following a scoreless draw at home to Manchester United on Sunday in both teams' final match of the season.
The hosts entered the weekend knowing a victory was necessary to overtake Newcastle United and avoid the drop, but Steve Bruce's side were unable to convert their chances and suffered relegation for the second time in five years.
Indeed, the result summed up the season for Hull, who finished with 33 goals, or less than one per match. United were there for the taking on the day, turning in a flat performance under manager Louis van Gaal, but the Tigers did not have the quality needed to claim the points.
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The result mattered little in the end, though. Newcastle United, the only team that Hull could have overtaken on Sunday, finished the season with a 2-0 victory at home to West Ham United, securing top-flight survival despite a poor second half of the season.
Manchester United ended the match with 10 men following Marouane Fellaini's dismissal for a poor challenge late in the match.
With the draw, Hull finished in 18th place with 35 points and will play in the Championship next season. United finished fourth with 70 points and will enter the UEFA Champions League play-off for a spot in next season's group stage.
While Hull face an uncertain future in English football's second tier, United will look to the transfer market in order to recruit the players necessary to make a sustained title challenge next season.
Hull City, not surprisingly, made an energetic start to the match and created a first chance in the second minute, when Dame N'Doye headed a cross straight at United goalkeeper Victor Valdes.
The visitors had a sight of goal one minute later at the other end, with Wayne Rooney grazing the top of the crossbar with a rifled shot from just outside the box.
Hull saw their first goal ruled out in the 18th minute. Paul McShane poked the ball over the line after Valdes had flapped at a free-kick, but referee Lee Probert correctly disallowed the goal for offside.
The hosts came close again just one minute later as Ahmed Elmohamady towered in the box and nodded a header toward the bottom corner. But Valdes stretched to his left to make a fine save.
Hull had another goal ruled out in the 20th minute, again correctly. Stephen Quinn hit a shot on goal, and N'Doye deflected the ball into the net, but Probert chalked off the strike for offside.
United had the first chance of the second half following a giveaway by N'Doye in the 48th minute. Juan Mata passed on the right to Ander Herrera, who saw his shot blocked by Michael Dawson.
Moments later, Hull had a chance at the other end, but David Meyler sliced a volley well off target after Nikica Jelavic had headed down a cross in the box.
The next chance fell to United in the 60th minute, when Herrera drove a low shot toward the bottom corner from the edge of the box. The ball trickled narrowly wide, keeping the match scoreless.
One minute later, the visitors had to clear off their goal line after Valdes came off his line to punch clear but missed the ball. Daley Blind eventually hacked clear following a nervy moment in the box.
Two more chances followed for Hull soon after. In the 64th minute, Dawson flicked on a set piece toward the far post. McShane found himself in a dangerous position but was unable to turn the ball home. Moments later, N'Doye volleyed off target from Elmohamady's cross.
Valdes made another important save for United in the 73rd minute, pushing away Jelavic's first-time effort following good work by substitute Sone Aluko down the right.
United went down to 10 men in the 77th minute as Fellaini saw red for a nasty, late challenge on McShane. The Hull man needed treatment for gashes to his head and thigh but was able to continue following a lengthy delay.
As full-time approached, Hull became increasingly desperate, but the goal still would not come. In the 83rd minute, Elmohamady slipped free down the right and crossed into the middle. Valdes palmed the ball to Abel Hernandez, who couldn't get the ball out from under his feet. He eventually managed to shoot, but his effort was blocked.
Around that time, news began to filter around the KC Stadium that Newcastle had scored a second goal against West Ham. That meant Hull were doomed regardless of the result, and the hosts were still unable to find the net despite playing seven minutes of stoppage time.
Grades
| Steve Harper | 6.4 |
| James Chester | 7.1 |
| Michael Dawson | 7.0 |
| Paul McShane | 7.1 |
| Ahmed Elmohamady | 7.1 |
| David Meyler | 6.3 |
| Tom Huddlestone | 6.9 |
| Stephen Quinn | 7.0 |
| Robbie Brady | 7.5 |
| Dame N'Doye | 6.3 |
| Nikica Jelavic | 6.0 |
| Abel Hernandez (for Chester 70') | 6.3 |
| Sone Aluko (for N'Doye 71') | 6.6 |
| Andrew Robertson (for Meyler 86') | 6.1 |
| Victor Valdes | 7.6 |
| Antonio Valencia | 8.1 |
| Chris Smalling | 7.5 |
| Phil Jones | 8.4 |
| Marcos Rojo | 7.8 |
| Daley Blind | 7.0 |
| Juan Mata | 6.5 |
| Ander Herrera | 6.9 |
| Ashley Young | 6.5 |
| Angel Di Maria | 6.1 |
| Wayne Rooney | 6.3 |
| Adnan Januzaj (for Di Maria 23') | 6.4 |
| Marouane Fellaini (for Young 59') | 5.2 |
| James Wilson (for Mata 73') | 6.3 |
Reaction
Hull City manager Steve Bruce, via BBC Sport:
"It is one of those awful experiences. This is a particularly low time. We are not in the big league. Too many times I have come out and said we have not done bad but we have not scored. That is 17 or 18 times we have not scored.
I have to take the brunt of it. We have not been good enough. We believed at the start of the season we would have enough. It is not a time for excuses. You have to take your medicine and come back as strongly as you can.
I am exhausted at the minute. My future is for others to decide. Cuts are inevitable. A lot of talking and soul-searching has to be done in the next few weeks. We are all sad at the minute. I am sure there are a few conversations to be had, which will be had in due course.
"
Follow @MiguelCominguez
