Hull City maintained their unbeaten start to the Premier League season after playing out a goalless draw with Aston Villa at the MKM Stadium on Saturday.
The 0-0 result extended Hull’s impressive defensive record, with the Tigers yet to concede a league goal in their opening three matches. Aston Villa, meanwhile, remain without a Premier League goal this season after another frustrating afternoon in front of goal.
Hull came closest to breaking the deadlock in the second half when Mohamed Belloumi’s curling effort struck the crossbar. Villa also had a golden opportunity to secure all three points, but Emiliano Buendía failed to convert from close range after being played in by George Hemmings.
Despite Villa’s efforts to take control of the match, Hull’s defence remained organised and disciplined to secure another clean sheet.
The Tigers have made an impressive return to the top flight, following their opening-day 2-0 victory over Manchester United with a 1-0 away win against fellow promoted side Coventry City. Saturday’s draw means Hull have collected seven points from their first three league matches.
For Villa, however, the result did little to ease concerns surrounding their difficult start under Unai Emery.
Villa began the campaign with a heavy 4-0 defeat away to Brighton before suffering a 1-0 home loss to Arsenal. They arrived at the MKM Stadium without a point or a goal and had failed to register a shot on target in their opening two games.
Their defensive performance improved against Hull, but Villa once again lacked the attacking quality needed to turn possession and chances into goals.
Hull’s defensive strength has been one of the defining features of their return to the Premier League. The Tigers moved up to second in the table following Saturday’s result, while Villa earned their first point of the season but remain without a goal after three matches.
Hull manager Sergej Jakirovic had previously highlighted the importance of the club’s busy summer transfer window and the competition for places within his squad.
“Finally finished, thank God! Now we can concentrate on our job,” Jakirovic said ahead of the match.
He also praised the work that went into rebuilding the squad after the club lost 12 players from last season.
“I am pleased because we have worked very hard this last two months, a lot of calls, a lot of negotiations with players. We always had our plan to bring quality that we can improve our team,” he said.
That recruitment has so far paid dividends, with Hull yet to concede a league goal in their first three matches.
Villa, on the other hand, must quickly find a solution to their attacking problems as pressure begins to build around Emery and his revamped squad.
While the match offered little in terms of attacking excitement, Hull will be delighted with another clean sheet and a strong start to life back in the Premier League. Villa leave with their first point of the campaign but face growing questions over their lack of goals.
