United go to Hull and back en route to EFL final
MANCHESTER United reached the EFL Cup final despite making a meal of a straightforward-looking clash against Hull and losing their 17-match unbeaten run in the process.
Southampton await at Wembley on February 26 but Jose Mourinho’s men will need to produce a far better display in the capital after losing this semifinal second leg at relegation-threatened City.
A Tom Huddlestone’s penalty was cancelled out when Marcus Rashford was denied by a Huddlestone tackle, only for the midfielder to turn into the path of Paul Pogba who directed the ball home through a crowd.
However, debutant Oumar Niasse gave Hull a shock 2-1 win at the sparsely filled KCOM Stadium, albeit with United progressing 3-2 on aggregate.
Cup fever had been absent in the build-up to the match, with just 16,831 in attendance due to home fans’ anger at the club’s owners rather than United’s two-goal advantage.
Marco Silva’s heavily changed side for Hull’s first home EFL Cup semifinal seemed to justify the decision to stay away, but the match did not go to script as the hosts impressed and went ahead.
Mourinho’s frustration at referee Jon Moss’ decision to point to the spot only grew as his own side were denied penalties.
He said afterwards “I just want to say congratulations to my players. It was a difficult road to be in the final and we are in the final. It is enough, I am calm, I behaved on the bench, no sending off, no punishment so no more words.”
Hull manager Marco Silva said: “It was a good win but not enough for our goal. It is important to win the game but the result in the first leg caused problems for us.
“It was a good performance again, a good attitude and we controlled the game in large periods against a big team. It is impossible at this moment to feel really happy.
“The goal we conceded is not a normal goal, we lost control at the vital moment.”