Michael Carrick insisted Manchester United "did some good things" after his side suffered a 2-0 defeat at newly-promoted Hull City on the opening day of the Premier League season — a result that immediately piled pressure on the first-year manager.

Semi Ajayi and Nobel Mendy both struck in the first half from set pieces to hand the Tigers a deserved win at MKM Stadium — their first victory over United in more than half a century.

Carrick refuses to panic

Despite United losing 63 per cent of their duels and two thirds of their headers before the break, Carrick was reluctant to hit the alarm button. "We have to find answers but because we lose one game, it doesn't mean everything needs dissecting," he told TNT Sport.

"Some of it was OK, there are bits to improve on. It was never going to be perfect, but going behind and giving ourselves a lot to do makes it more difficult."

Carrick had carried significant momentum into the campaign after accumulating more points than any other Premier League manager since rejoining United in January. He had also overseen the arrivals of Andre Santos and Youri Tielemans, with Carlos Baleba expected to follow. That optimism, however, was shaken badly by a Hull side missing as many as eight first-team players.

Fernandes fires criticism at his own team

Captain Bruno Fernandes was less forgiving. He drew direct comparisons to last season's defensive frailties and said United's passive approach handed Hull every opportunity to attack.

"It was the same mistakes we made last season — every away game we give too much of the ball to the opponent," Fernandes said. "In the first 20 minutes, their goalkeeper was the one with the most touches."

"We needed to press more, be more aggressive, and we need to work on set-plays. Against these types of teams, they are waiting for that moment. We knew before the game set-pieces would be a big part of their game."

United outfought from first whistle

Sky Sports analyst Ron Walker noted that Hull's physical back five neutralised Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, while wing-backs Lewie Coyle and Ryan Giles supplied target man Oli McBurnie effectively throughout.

"But this was about fight and spirit over anything on Sergej Jakirovic's tactics board," Walker wrote. "Winning almost two thirds of both their duels and headers before the break was just reward for the intensity, energy, and belief they brought — and United did not match it."

Walker pointed to a moment that summed up United's afternoon: McBurnie dribbling unchallenged past a static Andrey Santos and Tielemans, a clip likely to circulate widely on social media. "Without the hunger and desire to do those basics, quality alone would have made little difference," he added.

United return to action looking to bounce back before the pressure around Old Trafford grows any louder.