Mourinho left to rue opportunity of advance on top-four places

MANCHESTER UNITED failed to capitalise on their top-four rivals’ struggles as rejuvenated Hull left Old Trafford with a hard-fought point from a goalless stalemate.

Manchester City may have made light work of West Ham but their other Champions League rivals’ inability to win gave Jose Mourinho’s men a great opportunity.

However, United could only continue that trend in a surprisingly limp display against an Eldin Jakupovic-inspired Hull, whose improvements under recently-appointed manager Marco Silva were clear in this 0-0 draw.

The point moves Hull off the bottom of the Premier League, while a ninth league draw of the campaign leaves Mourinho’s side four points off the top four. The United boss will no doubt bemoan refereeing decisions, but he cannot get away from a flat display.

Superb stops from goalkeeper Jakupovic saved Hull when United threatened, although City came close to snatching a late win as Lazar Markovic, on loan from Liverpool, rattled the post.

The Tigers held their own and fired a shot across the bows in the seventh minute as Harry Maguire, looking transformed under Silva, headed Evandro’s free-kick just wide.

Scotland full-back Andrew Robertson thwarted Henrikh Mkhitaryan as early as the second minute as the visitors stood firm, with it requiring a moment of inspiration for United to first threaten as Zlatan Ibrahimovic shrugged off Tom Huddlestone to unleash a shot creeping in until Jakupovic’s fingertip stop.

Marcus Rashford’s invention saw the resulting corner flicked back in for Marcos Rojo to head over and Daley Blind failed with a volley shortly afterwards.

United’s passing in the final third was proving ineffective aside from the odd flashes of Paul Pogba and Ibrahimovic’s understanding. The Swede scuffed wide from Pogba’s lay off, before the roles reversed as Ibrahimovic’s classy firsttime flick put the France midfielder through, getting away a shot that Jakupovic met with one-hand to save.

Wayne Rooney replaced Michael Carrick just after the break, but it was Hull who were looking bright and Rojo blocked Markovic’s shot when the visitors broke, before Phil Jones pulled up injured as Oumar Niasse chased him down, leading to Chris Smalling’s 55thminute introduction.

Moments later Rashford miscued his attempt to alter an intriguing contest as his lovely touch was followed by a bobbling effort that rolled across the face of Jakupovic’s goal. Ibrahimovic fizzed an attempt wide before referee Jones ignored fans’ calls for Niasse to receive a second booking after an overzealous challenge on Daley Blind.

Silva sensibly took the decision to replace him with Abel Hernandez, while the Hull manager’s decision to stick with Jakupovic instead of summer signing David Marshall continued to pay dividends.

United looked set to make the breakthrough when Rojo headed the ball back across goal to Juan Mata, whose closerange strike was marvellously kept out by the feet of Jakupovic.

The Old Trafford faithful were becoming audibly frustrated and Mourinho was incandescent on the touchline when Ibrahimovic saw penalty shouts ignored with 10 minutes remaining.

David de Gea impressively stopped a Rojo header finding the top corner and then Pogba from bending home – an outstanding display that gave Hull a deserved goalless draw.