Hull City 0-0 Manchester United: Player Ratings

Manchester United and Hull City played out to a goalless draw at the KC Stadium, with Marouane Fellaini eventually being sent off.

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As a result, Hull were relegated to the Championship division having needed a win and a favorable result from the Newcastle match to stay up. In truth, Victor Valdes was brilliant and really prevented Hull from getting the win. The Red Devils looked content to go through the motions in their final match of the 2014/15 season with a top four finish already secured.

Victor Valdes (9/10)

The former Barcelona keeper started his first game for United, due to a de Gea injury, and made a few comfortable saves in the early going. He bobbled a free kick that nearly cost the Red Devils a goal, but they were saved by an offside decision. Almost immediately after, he made a brilliant save off an Elmohamady header to push the ball past the post. In the second half, he came out and whiffed on a punch that nearly gave the Tigers a goal if not for a clearance off the line. Valdes made another tremendous save in the 72nd minute to deny Jelavic. Again in the 83rd minute, the keeper did well to parry away a dangerous low-cross. In essence, Valdes almost single-handedly gave Manchester United the point.

Marcos Rojo (7/10)

The Argentine linked up well going forward and contained the right side of Hull’s attack, particularly Elmohamady. He forced Hull’s wide-back to the extreme flank of the pitch where he struggled to get involved other than hopeful crosses. Rojo did nearly create an own goal by clearing the ball off a Hull attacker, but thankfully the ricochet went straight to Valdes.

Phil Jones (7/10)

The defending nearly cost United multiple times in the first half, but they were saved by Valdes once and an offsides decisions. Jones looked a bit better going forward and in possession, with more composure than fans are accustomed to. Eventually he made a couple good diving header clearances on crosses later in the first half to hold the line and help secure the draw.

Chris Smalling (6/10)

Smalling cleared a dangerous corner well during Hull’s initial pressure and then began to link well with the other defenders to maintain possession and settle the team. On several crosses in the second half, Smalling struggled to make headed clearances, granting a corner on an uncontested header in one instance. In second half stoppage time, he got booked for a smart tackle to slow down Hull’s counter.

Antonio Valencia (5/10)

The right-back didn’t do much in the first half. He slipped and nearly gave Hull a chance on goal but other than that was mediocre. To start the second half he got down the flank and sent in a cross only to be blocked before again returning to mediocrity. He had two chances to deliver crosses in second half stoppage time but both failed to find their targets.

Daley Blind (7/10)

Blind nearly cost United a goal by keeping the Hull attackers onside but did well to ease Meyler out of possession as he ran in on goal later in the first half. He conceded a free kick just outside the danger area in the 50th minute which was easily cleared by the wall. Just after the 60th minute, he cleared a would be Hull goal off the line.

Angel di Maria (2/10)

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Didn’t make many contributions and left in the 22nd minute due to apparent injury; replaced by Adnan Januzaj.

Ashley Young (5/10)

Young started in the centre of the park to make space of di Maria but he didn’t look comfortable there. There seemed to be a gap between Rooney and the midfielders, potentially a result of the winger’s move to the centre. He was eventually replaced by Fellaini for a more natural central midfielder.

Ander Herrera (7/10)

He had a good move to fool Quinn and some good quick passes between Mata, but otherwise, like Valencia, wasn’t too heavily involved in the match in the early stages. Just before the end of the first half, he nearly capitalized on a Young cross to touch it past Heaton, but the ball was just out of reach. Off of a lay-off from Mata, he had a shot blocked to get the second half started. As play continued, he improved his hold on the match, including a shot just wide.

Juan Mata (6/10)

The Spaniard didn’t impose his flair on the match in the beginning, despite swapping sides with Januzaj every so often. In the first minutes of the second half, he was gifted the ball on a poor pass from Hull and laid it off to Herrera, who had a shot blocked.

Wayne Rooney (4/10)

Had a good strike glance just off the top of the bar early in the match but otherwise struggled to get involved. In stoppage time of the first half, Rooney got the ball with some momentum but didn’t have any support up the pitch and went on to lose possession. It was evident that the England international wanted to run in behind the Hull defense but the Red Devils rarely picked him out. Just before second half stoppage time, he had a decent free kick attempt tipped over the crossbar.

Substitutes

Adnan Januzaj (5/10)

Januzaj came on to replace di Maria and quickly began linking up with Rojo on the left side of the pitch. He made a lengthy run in the 33rd minute from side to side but eventually lost the ball leading to a Hull counterattack. In the second half, he made an incisive run into the Hull box but lost it from the last challenge. The Belgian won a free kick on the edge of Hull’s box in the 89th minute, but Rooney’s shot was tipped over the bar.

Marouane Fellaini (2/10)

Fellaini came on to replace Ashley Young but didn’t make a great impact in his limited action. He was sent off in the 77th minute for a poor tackle on McShane. He went studs up into the Hull player when the ball had already gone, forcing Manchester United to go down a man.

James Wilson (4/10)

The young striker replaced Mata in the second half to add another striker, but by that point both teams looked to be in cruise control. His biggest involvement came by winning a late free kick after darting up the pitch on his own.

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