Hull City may have left Old Trafford with no points, but it didn’t feel like a defeat to any of the Hull fans, whether they be at the game, back in Hull or anywhere around the world. The Tigers scored three goals at the home of the European Champions, a feat that hasn’t been achieved since Chelsea beat them there in May 2005 3-1. Not only that, but they managed to claw themselves back into the game from 4-1 down, and left Manchester United hanging on right up to the final whistle. George Boateng was named captain, in the absence of Ian Ashbee, who was replaced in the starting line up by Bryan Hughes. Nick Barmby and Caleb Folan came back into the squad, which meant Dean Windass was left out again. Things couldn’t of started much worse for City, behind after three minutes to recently named World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo.
Kamil Zayattes clearance could only found Berbatov, he layed it off to Ronaldo, who beat Myhill at his near post via the inside of the post from outside the area. Rooney could of made it two in the 17th minute, but his effort went over the bar. Hull City then once again defyed the odds and shocked most of the country. Andy Dawson’s free kick found the head of Daniel Cousin, who glanced his header beyond Edwin Van Der Sar and into the net, to send the majority of Old Trafford into quiet mode. But City could only stay level for six minutes, as Michael Carrick fired past Myhill and into the net, once again, via the same post.
It was a quick sweeping move from United, and as the Tigers backline backed off, Carrick fired past Myhill from outside the area. Myhill then had to be on hand to beat away a stinging Ronaldo shot, before Rooney had his goal chalked off for offside. But It was 3-1 on the stroke of half time. Nanis corner from the far side found Ronaldo’s head, and the Portuguese winger headed in off the underside of the bar and to seemingly put the game out of City’s reach. At half time, Phil Brown tactically changed his side, reverting to a 4-4-2 formation, with Hughes on the right and Geovanni operating down the left, instead of his usual role behind the front two.
Soon after the break both Berbatov and Ronaldo had good chances, and it seemed only a matter of time before the Tigers found themselves 4-1 down. Ronaldo broke through on goal, but took to long before shooting, and Zayattes excellent challenge thwarted him, at the expense of a corner, in which United did make it four. Vidic headed under Myhill from Rooneys corner, a goal that could and probably should of prevented. City then made a change, with Frenchman Bernard Mendy replacing Bryan Hughes, and Mendys first contribution was to win his side a corner, in which Turners header could only find the hands of Van Der Sar.
Hungarian Peter Halmosi then replaced Marlon King, but it was the Tigers previous introduction who was making the bigger impact. Boatengs cross field ball landed right on Mendys foot, he strolled beyond the defender, before lobbing the ball over Van Der Sar and towards the Stretford End goal, as Vidic chased back to attempt to deny the Frenchman. Vidic cleared the ball, but it had already crossed the line, which was spotted by the linesman, and City had 21 minutes left to pull it back. Myhill then had to be at his best on two occasions to deny Rooney.
Mendy was then fouled in the box by Rio Ferdinand, and with eight minutes left on the clock, Geovanni had a chance from the spot to pull the Tigers dramatically back into the game, which he gleefully took. City couldn’t find an equalizer, and as the whistle blew at full time, a collective sigh of relief was heard by the majority inside Old Trafford, as they knew City had give them a game, and had them on the ropes in the closing moments, and as the travelling fans headed home full of pride in how their team had just performed, they knew their team had come to the home of the European Champions, and give them their own Halloween fright.
