Semi Ajayi: 4 records Hull City defender helped break against Manchester United

Semi Ajayi was at the heart of a historic afternoon as Hull City stunned Manchester United 2-0 on their return to the Premier League, with the Nigerian defender helping break a series of remarkable records, Afrik-Foot reports.

Ajayi opened the scoring in the 17th minute before Nobel Mendy doubled Hull’s advantage, giving the newly promoted side a dream start at the MKM Stadium.

For the Super Eagles defender, however, the significance of his goal went far beyond putting Hull ahead.

His strike ended his five-year Premier League wait for a goal, brought a nine-year club drought to an end and helped Hull achieve something they had never done in the Premier League.

4 records Semi Ajayi helped Hull City break against Manchester United

1. Ajayi ends his five-year wait for a Premier League goal

The most personal milestone was the end of Ajayi’s Premier League goal drought.

The Hull defender had not scored in the competition since finding the net for West Bromwich Albion against Wolverhampton Wanderers in January 2021.

More than five years later, Ajayi was back on the Premier League scoresheet. His goal against United came after Oli McBurnie’s effort was saved, with the Nigerian reacting quickest to turn the rebound into the net.

It was a particularly memorable way for the 32-year-old to mark his return to the Premier League.

Semi Ajayi's goal against Man Utd. 🔥🇳🇬 pic.twitter.com/fyw2ynLX5n

— POOJA!!! (@PoojaMedia) August 22, 2026

After spending the previous season with Hull in the Championship, Ajayi was handed a starting role for their first top-flight match since 2017 and immediately repaid the faith placed in him.

2. Ajayi ends Hull City’s nine-year Premier League goal drought

Ajayi’s goal was also historic for his club. The Tigers had not scored a Premier League goal since Sam Clucas found the net against Tottenham Hotspur on May 21, 2017.

That match ended in a 7-1 defeat and, more importantly, marked the end of Hull’s previous Premier League campaign. The club subsequently spent nine years outside England’s top flight.

When Hull finally returned this season, their first Premier League goal was scored by a Nigerian defender.

That gave Ajayi a unique place in the club’s modern history. His effort was Hull’s first Premier League goal in more than nine years, ending one of the longest waits for a top-flight goal in the club’s history.

3. Manchester United’s remarkable opening-day record is finally broken

The result also ended one of Manchester United’s most unusual Premier League records.

Before Saturday, United had never lost to a newly promoted side on the opening weekend of a Premier League season.

Their record stood at nine wins and three draws from 12 such matches. Instead of becoming the 13th newly promoted side to fail to beat United on the opening weekend, however, Hull became the first to do it.

Ajayi’s early goal set the tone before Mendy’s strike completed a result that finally ended United’s unbeaten record against newly promoted opposition in this particular fixture.

4. Hull finally end a 52-year wait for a league victory over United

The biggest piece of history may have been sitting even further back. Hull City had not beaten Manchester United in a league match since November 23, 1974.

That was 52 years ago. On that occasion, Hull defeated United 2-0 in the old Second Division, with Malcolm Lord and club legend Ken Wagstaff scoring the goals.

More than five decades later, history repeated itself; only the names were different.

In 1974, Lord and Wagstaff delivered the victory, and in 2026, Ajayi and Mendy did it.

The symmetry makes the result even more remarkable. It was not only Hull’s first Premier League victory against United. It was their first league victory over the Red Devils in 52 years.