Matchweek one of the 2026-27 Premier League runs from Friday 21 to Monday 24 August 2026. Arsenal host Coventry City tonight at 20:00 BST. Manchester United open at Hull City on Saturday at 12:30 BST, against a club that has played them ten times in this competition and won none of them.
Ten meetings. Eight Manchester United wins, two draws, no Hull City victory. That is the Premier League record between these two clubs going into Saturday lunchtime at the MKM Stadium, and Opta Analyst puts it in company: Hull are joint-top of the list of sides Manchester United have faced most often without ever losing to them, level with Chelsea on D2 L8. Only Charlton Athletic, Queens Park Rangers and Birmingham City have played Manchester United more often in the Premier League era without winning once.
The last league meeting was a 0-0 at Old Trafford in February 2017. Hull City went down that season and have spent the nine years since somewhere else.
They are back through the Championship play-off final and they have spent to stay. Nobel Mendy arrived from Rayo Vallecano for just over 20m pounds, a club record, and Jack Butland came in to keep goal, per Goal and Yahoo Sports. Butland will not play on Saturday. Football365 lists six Hull City players ruled out, Butland and Joe Gelhardt among them, with two more to be assessed. ESPN separately names Patrick McNair, Charlie Hughes and Darko Gyabi, the last with a groin problem.
Manchester United's own list is not short either. Matthijs de Ligt is out with a back problem and Manuel Ugarte with a knee, per ESPN. Benjamin Sesko is doubtful with a shin injury, which puts Bryan Mbeumo at the front, and Mason Mount faces a late fitness test on a foot, per Football365. Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos, the two midfielders Michael Carrick has already signed, are expected to make their competitive debuts.
The third midfielder is not there. David Ornstein reported on 19 August that Manchester United have offered about 60m pounds plus 5m in add-ons for Carlos Baleba, below Brighton and Hove Albion's valuation, with talks amicable and continuing. Sky Sports, the same day, put the clubs close to full agreement with a five-year contract prepared and a medical to follow completion. Neither club has announced anything, and Baleba is recovering from ankle ligament damage picked up in pre-season, so the argument about whether he arrives is not an argument about Saturday.
What Manchester United do have is Bruno Fernandes, who set the Premier League record for assists in a single season last year with 21, per Opta Analyst and Goal.
The wider record is worse reading for a promoted club. Manchester United have never lost a top-flight opening fixture against promoted opponents: nine wins, three draws. The Opta supercomputer gives Manchester United a 68.9 per cent chance of winning on Saturday, Hull City 12.2 and the draw 18.9.
Numbers like that are a description of the past, and the past does not turn out for kick-off. Somebody has to be the first Hull City side to beat Manchester United in this competition, and every fixture is a chance to be it. Ten previous Hull City teams thought the same thing.
The season opens tonight at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal against Coventry City at 20:00 BST, and closes matchweek one at Craven Cottage on Monday, Fulham against Chelsea.
Sources: Opta Analyst, 20 August 2026 (ten Premier League meetings D2 L8, joint-most-faced without a win alongside Chelsea, Charlton Athletic / Queens Park Rangers / Birmingham City comparison, 0-0 at Old Trafford February 2017, never lost a top-flight opener to promoted opponents W9 D3, supercomputer probabilities, Bruno Fernandes 21 assists); ESPN, 20 August 2026 (kick-off 12:30 BST Saturday 22 August at the MKM Stadium, referee Darren England, de Ligt back, Ugarte knee, Sesko doubtful, Hull City injuries, the promoted-opponents record); Football365 match preview, 20 August 2026 (Hull City six ruled out including Jack Butland and Joe Gelhardt, Sesko shin, Mount foot, Tielemans and Santos expected to debut, eight wins in ten meetings); Goal, 20 August 2026 (Hull City promoted via the Championship play-off final, Nobel Mendy from Rayo Vallecano at just over 20m pounds as a club record, Bruno Fernandes 21 assists); Yahoo Sports, 20 August 2026 (Mendy club-record fee); David Ornstein, The Athletic, 19 August 2026 (Manchester United offer of about 60m pounds plus 5m add-ons for Carlos Baleba, below Brighton and Hove Albion's valuation, amicable talks); Sky Sports, 19 August 2026 (clubs close to full agreement, in excess of 60m pounds, five-year contract prepared, medical to be scheduled on completion, ankle ligament injury); Premier League official fixture list (matchweek one 21 to 24 August 2026, Arsenal v Coventry City Friday 20:00 BST, Fulham v Chelsea Monday).