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David de Gea posted a cryptic nine-word message shortly after Manchester United were beaten 2-0 by newly promoted Hull City on the opening weekend of the Premier League season.
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The former United goalkeeper appeared to address his old club’s difficult start, with his post quickly attracting thousands of reactions from supporters on social media.
United were punished by two set-piece goals at the MKM Stadium, leaving Michael Carrick’s side with plenty to address despite their recent transfer activity.
August 22, (THEWILL) — Manchester United’s difficult start to the new Premier League season has prompted a reaction from one of the club’s most recognisable former players.
David de Gea appeared to send a message to his former side after watching United suffer a 2-0 defeat against newly promoted Hull City at the MKM Stadium on Saturday.
The result marked a disappointing opening to the campaign for Michael Carrick’s team, who struggled to create enough clear opportunities while looking vulnerable whenever Hull threatened from set pieces.
For De Gea, however, the defeat was followed by a brief social media post that quickly caught the attention of Manchester United supporters.
The Spanish goalkeeper wrote: “It’s not how it starts, it’s how it ends.”
Although De Gea did not mention Manchester United directly, the timing of the message led many fans to believe it was aimed at his former club following their poor result.
The post was published shortly before the final whistle and rapidly gained traction online, with tens of thousands of people liking and reacting to it within a short period.
How Manchester United lost to Hull City
United travelled to Hull hoping to begin the new Premier League campaign with a positive result, but their afternoon quickly turned into a frustrating one.
Hull, back in the top flight after winning promotion, showed little fear against their more established opponents and took advantage of weaknesses in the United defence.
The hosts opened the scoring in the 17th minute after a corner caused problems inside the visitors’ penalty area.
Oli McBurnie initially struck the post from the set piece, but the loose ball fell kindly for Semi Ajayi, who reacted quickest to the rebound and fired Hull into the lead.
United struggled to respond convincingly after conceding.
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Their problems at defensive set pieces surfaced again before half-time, when another delivery into the box created an opportunity for Hull.
New signing Nobel Mendy was in the right place to finish from close range in the 38th minute, doubling Hull’s advantage and sending the home supporters into celebration.
The two goals exposed an area that United will need to address quickly if they are to challenge higher up the Premier League table.
Despite having plenty of possession during periods of the match, Carrick’s side lacked the cutting edge required to seriously trouble Hull’s defence.
United managed only five shots on target throughout the match, highlighting their struggles in the final third.
The result will increase the pressure on the club to strengthen before the transfer window closes, particularly after United had already been linked with further midfield and attacking additions.
There was some encouraging transfer news earlier on Saturday, with United reportedly reaching an agreement to sign Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba.
However, the performance at Hull demonstrated that Carrick may need more than one addition if his side are to improve significantly.
Olumide Atiba is a sports journalist with THEWILL, known for his keen news sense and compelling storytelling. He has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, well-structured reports that resonate with readers, with a strong focus on football coverage
