UK Edition
Man Utd 2 Hull City 0 - EFL Cup semi-final report: Mata and Fellaini hand United low-key win
If Marouane Fellaini had bowled into Jose Mourinho any harder celebrating his late goal that changed the face of this EFL Cup semi-final, then perhaps a yellow card for a reckless challenge might have been in order, although there were no complaints from the Manchester United manager.
On as a late substitute Fellaini scored with three minutes of this first leg remaining and in doing so made the second leg two weeks on Thursday considerably less tricky for United. It is by no means a certainty that they are on their way to the first Wembley final of Mourinho’s Old Trafford days but it is a lot more comfortable than the one-goal margin they had previously enjoyed.
Having stretched just enough to head in the goal that changed the tie, Fellaini made his way directly to Mourinho on the touchline for a man-hug that almost lifted his manager’s feet off the floor with the impact. As he pointed out later, Mourinho has kept his faith in Fellaini even at the nadir of the midfielder’s season, when he was booed for his performance against Everton.
Fellaini is back in the ascendance, the right peroxide afro in the right place at the right time. He reached Matteo Darmian’s deep cross to the back post to score against a Hull team who would have been pleased to get to the return leg on Jan 26 just one-goal behind. Juan Mata had poked in the first before the hour although for the big possession advantage that United had enjoyed it felt like scant reward for them.
Especially against a Hull team that had so few players available they could only name six on the substitutes’ bench instead of the maximum seven. Jake Livermore was withdrawn overnight with illness and Markus Henriksen had to come off after 19 minutes with what looked like a bad injury to his right shoulder. Josh Tymon also joined the walking wounded before the end by which time Marco Silva will have been wondering about the weekend’s game.
The new Hull manager had his name sung by the travelling support, although just 1,400 of the 9,000 allocation on offer was taken up. The home game against Bournemouth on Saturday is a big day for all concerned at the Kcom stadium and there was not the most convincing assurance that Robert Snodgrass will still be a Hull player in time for the second leg against United. “I hope so” Silva replied when asked if Hull would keep in the face of West Ham’s sustained interest.
Mourinho was also turning his mind towards the weekend and Sunday’s big one against Liverpool for which he implored the home support not “to come to the ‘theatre’” but instead to “come to play – play with us”. He declared himself dissatisfied with the performance and, with caveats about how highly he thought of the fans, he also complained about the level of atmosphere on the night.
The United manager had stalked off early down the tunnel before the end of the goalless first half, one of those gestures of his designed to get people’s attention. The game was dominated by United, and the big guns of their midfield in particular, Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, but they struggled to unlock the away team.
There was the sub-plot of Wayne Rooney too, chasing that golden 250th goal and watched from the stand by the man he seeks to overhaul, Sir Bobby Charlton impassive under a trilby hat and probably wondering how the United captain missed a chance early in the second half. That came from a fabulous pass from Pogba that Rooney killed on the run before hitting a right-footed shot wide of the far post.
There was no Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the side for United, absent through illness for the first time this season other than the one game he served as a suspension although it sounds like he will be back for Sunday. That means that if Rooney is finally to break the United goalscoring record against the old enemy then he will have to do so having been summoned from the bench.
Marcos Rojo is another doubt for that game with what Mourinho described as a muscular problem. He was able to substitute Mkhitaryan before the end of the game to save his legs. The Armenian had some fine moments including a run at the end of the first half when he turned on the jets and glided away from a couple of Hull challenges before trying to slip the ball to Rooney, only for Marcus Rashford to get in the way.
Silva had selected Harry Maguire and Tom Huddlestone as his centre-backs and both of them are at the very least accomplished footballers. The always-adventurous Maguire channelled his inner Cristiano Ronaldo with one marvellous run and shot early in the game. Huddlestone has always been able to pick out a team-mate at 40 yards and between the two of them they did a decent job in difficult circumstances.
Henriksen went off with his right arm in a sling after just 19 minutes when he bounced off Pogba and landed awkwardly. Shortly before Rooney was replaced with Anthony Martial just before the hour, United had finally gone ahead with another move that came down the left side of Hull’s defence, from Pogba to Ander Herrera who was in a position to cross the ball.
Mkhitaryan got above David Meyler in commanding fashion to win the ball and although his header was outside the post, Mata was in just the right place to steer it on target. The second came when Martial won the ball on the left and Darmian picked out Fellaini at the back post for the kind of header that no-one does better. There was a roar as he embraced Mourinho and, not for the first time in his Old Trafford career, Fellaini was back in favour.
Mata continues to prove his worth
The expectation last summer was that Juan Mata would not last long at Manchester United with Jose Mourinho at the helm but the manager was determined to stick by the Spain midfielder and he has been rewarded with a consistency level few others at Old Trafford have matched this term.
His goal against Hull City in the first leg of this EFL Cup semi-final was his 33rd in all competitions in three years since being sold by Mourinho at Chelsea, a figure only Eden Hazard among Premier League midfielders can better over the same period.
Combine goals and assists and he has the same total – 53 – as Philippe Coutinho and David Silva at Liverpool and Manchester City, two fellow playmakers who tend to be talked about in much more glowing terms. That Mata has often been played out wide on the right at United to make way for Wayne Rooney and, latterly, Paul Pogba makes those statistics all the more impressive.
HALF TIME: Man United 0 Hull City 0
United well on top, but Hull not without their moments. A brave effort from them. Sam Wallace says
Mourinho had left his place in the technical area few minutes before the end of the first half and disappeared down the tunnel, the kind of gesture that is always intended to mean something – but what?
45+ mins
Hull clinging on gamely, a full four minutes added because of the injury to Henriksen. Another attack at high speed. Rashford and Rooney racing into the box, the former is stopped by a bit of a lunging effort. Maybe that was a foul? Rooney thinks so. He's soon in full barrack-room lawyer mode.
5 mins
ManYoo well on top, passing the ball around at their leisure. Rooney coming deep to join in the fun. Darmian is having a high old time of it down the left, he cuts it in for Rashford who hits a left-foot effort. Completely mis-hits the ball and it ends up being a very neat pass for Rooney. Desperate defending blocks the moment.
Our match preview
What is it?
The semi-final first leg of the magnificent EFL Cup (formerly the League Cup. Keep up).
When is it?
Tuesday night, 10 January 2017.
What time is kick-off?
20.00 GMT.
What TV channel is it on?
You fill find it on Sky Sports 1/HD and Sky Sports Mix and its HD equivalent.
What is the team news?
Jose Mourinho says he will recall some of United's biggest stars against Hull at Old Trafford.
The involvement of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paul Pogba, Ander Herrera and Antonio Valencia has already been confirmed by Mourinho after he made nine changes against Reading in the FA Cup, so Wayne Rooney - one goal away from becoming United's all-time leading scorer - may have to wait for his opportunity.
Marcos Rojo is a doubt having come off against the Royals with a muscle problem, while fellow defender Eric Bailly is away on Ivory Coast duty at the African Nations Cup.
Provisional Man Utd squad: De Gea, Romero, Valencia, Fosu-Mensah, Jones, Smalling, Rojo, Darmian, Shaw, Blind, Young, Fellaini, Carrick, Herrera, Schweinsteiger, Pogba, Lingard, Mata, Mkhitaryan, Martial, Rashford, Ibrahimovic, Rooney.
Hull are facing a defensive crisis heading into the game.
Michael Dawson was forced off with a shoulder injury in Saturday's FA Cup win against Swansea, making him a doubt for a match that fellow centre-backs Harry Maguire (hip) and Curtis Davies (hamstring) are also struggling for.
Another centre-back Alex Bruce (Achilles) has yet to feature this season, while full-backs Moses Odubajo (knee) and Ahmed Elmohamady (African Nations Cup) are absent. Hull are also without strikers Will Keane (knee) and Dieumerci Mbokani (African Nations Cup).
Provisional Hull squad: Marshall, McGregor, Jakupovic, Dawson, Tymon, Robertson, Meyler, Clucas, Huddlestone, Henriksen, Mason, Weir, Livermore, Maloney, Snodgrass, Clackstone, Diomande, Hernandez, Bowen.
What are they saying?
Jose Mourinho has pledged to give Manchester United's EFL Cup semi-final against Hull everything, despite this weekend's mouth-watering clash with Liverpool looming large.
United will look to extend an eight-match winning run in all competitions when the Premier League's bottom side arrive at Old Trafford for Tuesday's first leg.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba are among those Mourinho will recall as the Portuguese looks to follow-up his side's Community Shield success and return to Wembley next month.
The EFL Cup was the first trophy Mourinho won in England as Chelsea boss back in 2005 and he hopes to move closer to lifting it for a fourth time tonight, despite the clash with Liverpool taking place on Sunday.
"We play against Liverpool, it's a big match for us but we want to be in the final," he said.
"So we are going to face this Hull match with everything we have, with all the power we have.
"We know that it's two legs but the second leg is away, so if you can do something in the first leg that gives you an advantage, we are going to try and do that.
"I think for big clubs a competition is a competition. I was never good at choosing competitions. At some of my clubs you arrive at April and you have a busy fixture list but you are in competitions to try to win, to try to do things.
"I won the League Cup twice in Cardiff but when it moved to Wembley, I think the meaning is even better so why not try (and win it)?
"It's a two-legged competition, if we don't play well in one leg you have another match to try so we are going to try."
Standing in United's way of Wembley is a Portuguese coach that has been likened to Mourinho.
Marco Silva was surprisingly announced as Mike Phelan's successor at Hull last Thursday, having impressed at Estoril, Sporting Lisbon and Olympiacos.
"I don't think it is good for Marco to be compared with me," Mourinho said. "I don't think it's good for him.
"And I don't think it's fair but I can see a similar start of career because he was in a small club, Estoril, before he moved to Sporting.
"I was in a small club, Leiria, before I moved to Porto, so we had a similar start in Portugal.
"He did well and I see him as an intelligent guy with a good attitude.
"I really wish him well but not a good start - he has to lose three matches (against United this month)."
Silva, who faces a big ask at struggling Hull, was glad to hear Mourinho tried to move away from any comparisons.
"It's never good when you compare some different people or coaches, it's not good," the Hull manager said.
"I am very happy because Mourinho is a Portuguese coach and what he did in his career is fantastic for him and our country. I am a different person, a different coach."
Marco Silva believes some of the criticism surrounding his appointment as Hull manager has been ignorant and disrespectful.
Eyebrows were raised when the Premier League's bottom side last week named the 39-year-old as Mike Phelan's successor.
Some welcomed the move for a man likened to compatriot Jose Mourinho, others made disparaging remarks about the decision to plump for the former Estoril, Sporting Lisbon and Olympiacos boss.
Paul Merson and Phil Thompson were particularly aggrieved at the decision to appoint Silva instead of a home-grown coach judging by their diatribe on Sky Sports over the weekend.
"For me it's not important," Silva said, when asked about the pair's comments.
"I respect all the opinions, what the football people talk, but for me not important really.
"For me what is important is my work with my players and what our fans feel, what our fans believe.
"That is what is important for me in this moment."
But asked if such comments showed a lack of knowledge and respect, Silva said sternly "sure, sure" before nodding in agreement.
Silva has led minnows Estoril to the Europa League, Sporting to the Portuguese Cup and Olympiacos to the Greek title, including embarking on a 17-match winning run in the league.
Hull is an altogether different challenge, though, and Silva freely admitted upon his appointment that a "miracle" was needed to survive.
It would be a similarly impressive feat if the Portuguese can lead Hull to the EFL Cup final given Manchester United are the opponents for City's first-ever semi-final appearance.
"I think it's a different challenge," he said with a laugh, when asked if he needed a miracle in the EFL Cup as well.
"Okay, it's not a miracle, I believe, and I am sure Man United are favourite but they need to, they want to, prove this in the pitch and we will try to do the same.
"To get to the final is not easy. Man United is the favourite but we will do our best to be in the final."
Tuesday's first leg at Old Trafford is made all the more daunting by the defensive crisis that could see six first-team players absent from Hull's backline.
Such issues for the Premier League's bottom side means several bookmakers have priced Hull at 18-1 to win against Mourinho's men on Tuesday.
Silva is looking forward to pitting his wits against a manager he respects greatly and has got to know since his spell at Sporting, but comparisons with the self-proclaimed 'Special One' rankle.
"It's never good when you compare some different people or coaches, it's not good," the Hull manager said.
"I am very happy because Mourinho is a Portuguese coach and what he did in his career is fantastic for him and our country. I am a different person, a different coach.
"I am a young coach, of course, but what I did in my career I did because I work a lot and I have a lot of ambition to give these steps in my career and I will stay here to do the same, and to improve my career.
"But for this to happen I need to improve my team and to get my team playing like I want. I have so many things to think and try to do in this moment in the club - seriously, I don't think anything more in this moment."
What are the odds?
Man Utd: 1/5 Hull: 25/1 Draw: 15/2
Twenty-five to one! They're in the same league!
What's our prediction?
A surprisingly narrow Man Utd win. We'll say 1-0.
What are you saying?