Hull Vs Man Utd Results & Stats

Sun 24 May 2015, The KC Stadium

Hull

0 - 0

FT

Man Utd

Referee: Lee Probert
Attendance: 24,745
#HULMUN

Match Report

Hull City were relegated from the Barclays Premier League after drawing 0-0 with 10-man Manchester United at the KC Stadium on the final day of the season.

Steve Bruce knew he needed to oversee a first victory over Man Utd in his managerial career if Hull were to have any chance of escaping the drop at Newcastle United's expense as they did in 2009.

However, Newcastle's 2-0 victory over West Ham United ultimately ensured even a win would not have been enough for Hull, who were unable to find a breakthrough despite United substitute Marouane Fellaini's 77th-minute sending-off.

Fellaini received a straight red card for a studs-up challenge on Paul McShane, but there was still no way through for Bruce's men, who were FA Cup finalists 12 months ago in their first season back in the top flight.

Hull, who had two goals disallowed for offside in quick succession during the first half, will now return to the Championship, having lost half of their BPL matches this term.

United, meanwhile, end their maiden campaign under Louis van Gaal in fourth place, albeit 17 points behind champions Chelsea, and another close-season of heavy investment appears likely as the Old Trafford club aim to become genuine title contenders once again.

An unchanged Hull started brightly and Dame N'Doye forced a routine second-minute save from Victor Valdes, making his first start in goal for United having replaced the injured David de Gea against Arsenal last weekend.

A swift response from United, who were without Radamel Falcao through injury, brought a shot by Wayne Rooney which grazed the crossbar from 20 yards, but Hull continued to look the more threatening early on had two goals ruled out in quick succession.

McShane was correctly adjudged offside as he poked the ball home from close range in the 18th minute after Valdes had spilled a free-kick.

Valdes then made a stunning save, diving to his left to keep out a firm header from Ahmed Elmohamady, before Hull were again denied by the assistant referee's flag when N'Doye turned home a goalbound shot from Stephen Quinn.

The remainder of the first half passed by with little incident, aside from the injury-enforced withdrawal of Angel Di Maria, before United's Ander Herrera passed up a chance to convert an Ashley Young cross in stoppage time.

Herrera and Hull's David Meyler wasted opportunities early in the second period and, as news of Newcastle opening the scoring against West Ham filtered through, the hosts were left facing an increasingly desperate situation.

After another effort from Herrera had drifted narrowly wide on the hour, Hull almost capitalised on a goalmouth scramble sparked by another error from Valdes, who missed the ball when attempting to clear a corner and instead made contact with Rooney's head.

To his credit, Valdes responded with a second superb stop in the 73rd minute, as he showed outstanding reactions at his near post to claw away a shot from Nikica Jelavic, but the knockout blow was delivered when Newcastle scored their second at St James' Park to end Hull's stay in the top flight.

Hull City manager Steve Bruce: "It is one of those awful experiences. This is a particularly low time. We are not in the big league.

"Too many times I have come out and said we have not done bad but we have not scored. That is 17 or 18 times we have not scored.

"I have to take the brunt of it. We have not been good enough. We believed at the start of the season we would have enough. It is not a time for excuses. You have to take your medicine and come back as strongly as you can.

"I am exhausted at the minute. My future is for others to decide. Cuts are inevitable. A lot of talking and soul-searching has to be done in the next few weeks. We are all sad at the minute. I am sure there are a few conversations to be had, which will be had in due course."

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal: "I have never seen fans of a team who are going to be relegated be so supportive until the end. Their fans and the players were very positive, which made it difficult for us to equal their aggression and their motivation.

"They were fighting for a rescue, but we were fighting for a dream, to finish the season the proper way. That proved to be difficult, as you have seen. But still, we have earned a clean sheet, also with another goalkeeper.

"At the end, this game was not so important anymore because Newcastle won, which meant everyone had done their sporting duties.

"When we analyse our season, we have played our best matches against the top six and our worst matches against the bottom six."