Life is rarely uneventful in Hull, and only three matches into the Premier League campaign, the club’s supporters have already experienced an exciting journey.
After stunning Manchester United at home on the opening day and securing victory at Coventry the following weekend, this well-earned draw and a third consecutive clean sheet strengthened Sergej Jakirovic’s confidence that his side can avoid relegation.
Not since Bolton’s impressive opening to the 2001-02 campaign has a newly promoted team won its first three matches. Hull could not equal the achievement of Sam Allardyce’s side, although they came closest to breaking the deadlock when Algerian winger Mohamed Belloumi struck the crossbar with a superb second-half effort. Substitutes Mohamed-Ali Cho and Oli McBurnie also created danger late in the game.
“We had opportunities to win, although they also created several chances after the interval,” said Jakirovic, who agreed to a two-year contract extension on Friday. “Taking seven points from three matches while keeping another clean sheet is something we appreciate. It is an excellent outcome and proves that we can compete at this standard.”
Aston Villa produced another ineffective attacking performance and remained without a goal for a third consecutive match, with captain John McGinn and Emiliano Buendía wasting promising opportunities in the second half.
Villa had failed to register an attempt on target during their 4-0 defeat at Brighton and their 1-0 home loss to Arsenal. This time, their only effort on goal was a harmless early strike from George Hemmings.
Unai Emery focused on the encouraging aspects of Villa’s performance as he continues a patient rebuilding project following a turbulent summer in which several important players departed and 10 new signings arrived.
“The outcome is disappointing because I believe our performance merited more,” he said. “We lacked precision in front of goal, and scoring is obviously essential if you want to win. We made enough opportunities today, but improvement is still required while the team goes through this rebuilding process.”
There was a powerful sense of ambition inside the packed MKM Stadium before the match, with a giant amber banner carrying the message “One family, one dream” displayed across the pitch. It reflected the unity Jakirovic has developed among his players and their growing bond with the supporters during an extraordinary period in Hull’s recent history.
The determination of both teams could be seen and heard around the stadium, but Villa nearly took the lead in the second minute when Nicolas Jackson sent a header wide from Ian Maatsen’s inviting cross from the left.
Hull remained composed, and Belloumi twice beat Ross Barkley, including once with an impressive nutmeg, before surging into space along the right wing. His low delivery was cleared, but the move demonstrated the attacking threat available to the home side.
Villa recorded their first attempt on target of the campaign in the 13th minute, when Hemmings directed a low shot toward goal that Konstantinos Tzolakis gathered without difficulty.
Villa’s inability to overcome a promoted team widely expected to struggle raised questions about their prospects of moving up the standings. A slick passing move should have produced the opening goal in the 50th minute, but McGinn lifted his finish over Tzolakis’s crossbar from fewer than 12 yards.
Villa created an even clearer opportunity three minutes later. Hemmings accelerated beyond Hull captain Lewie Coyle on the left and intelligently pulled the ball back to Buendía, who should have converted but instead fired well over the bar in frustration.
Hull came desperately close to taking the lead in the 65th minute when Belloumi received the ball following a short corner and curled a brilliant left-footed strike against the crossbar. The home side again displayed the resilience that helped secure promotion last season, a quality they will need throughout the remaining 35 fixtures if they are to overcome expectations and retain their top-flight status.
That spirit appeared once more in the closing stages when Hull substitute Lucas Herrington, celebrating his 19th birthday, made a crucial block to deny Tyrone Mings. Zion Suzuki then stopped Cho’s close-range attempt before McBurnie failed to make clean contact with Giles’s delivery, leaving Hull looking the more likely team to claim a late victory.
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