Hull City launched their campaign in spectacular fashion with a 2-0 victory over Manchester United at the MKM Stadium on Saturday, silencing critics who believed the Tigers would be unable to challenge the 13-time top-flight champions.
Sergej Jakirovic’s squad earned widespread praise for a remarkable display to overcome Michael Carrick’s United side, courtesy of first-half strikes from centre-backs Semi Ajayi and Nobel Mendy.
That outcome places City fifth in the top division following the opening weekend of fixtures, which concluded in West London on Monday evening with Chelsea prevailing in a five-goal spectacle against neighbours Fulham at Craven Cottage.
During Monday’s Sky Sports broadcast, Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville shared their yearly forecasts for the campaign ahead, and despite that historic triumph, their outlook on the Tigers remained largely unchanged.
Both maintain that City will suffer relegation this term, with Neville convinced all three promoted clubs will make an immediate return to the Championship, while former Liverpool defender Carragher expects it to be City, Ipswich Town and Sunderland facing the drop.
On the matter of Sunderland, Carragher questioned their prospects, citing their involvement in European competition and the demanding Thursday-Sunday schedule that accompanies it. He suggested last season’s campaign bore similarities to Sheffield United under Chris Wilder, where they achieved a high league finish despite often winning by narrow margins, with underling statistics indicating they were close to the relegation zone.
Neville expressed hope that at least one or two promoted clubs would survive, but admitted his confidence had diminished compared to the previous campaign. He referenced opening weekend encounters, noting how initial optimism surrounding sides like Leeds against Everton and Sunderland’s victory over West Ham ultimately proved unfounded. Despite Coventry’s heavy defeat to Arsenal champions on Friday, he refused to judge them given the calibre of opposition. Similarly, he urged caution regarding Hull’s impressive result against United and Ipswich’s win over Sunderland, emphasising that considerable distance remains in the season.
Regarding potential relegation candidates, Neville flagged Fulham as particularly vulnerable following their performance against Chelsea, highlighting their youthful squad and defensive vulnerabilities. He anticipated clearer insights after their upcoming trip to Sunderland. Carragher identified Crystal Palace as another club facing potential difficulties, pointing to their poor pre-season preparations, opening-day defeat at Everton despite creating chances, and the challenges of adapting to a new manager while balancing European commitments.
At the summit of the table, both analysts backed Arsenal to successfully defend their Premier League crown. Carragher forecast Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool to occupy the remaining Champions League positions in that order, while Neville anticipated Chelsea finishing runners-up, with City third and Manchester United fourth.