Three things we learnt from Hull City’s EFL Cup victory over Manchester United

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Manchester United advanced to the final of the EFL Cup – but saw their 17-match unbeaten run go up in smoke as Hull City won 2-1 at the KCOM Stadium. Jose Mourinho’s side had done the hard work by virtue of a 2-0 victory in the first leg at Old Trafford. But they were made to sweat as an impressive performance by the Tigers earned them the spoils on the night. Tom Huddlestone opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the first half before Paul Pogba equalised for the visitors. An 85th-minute goal from Everton loanee Oumar Niasse set up a tense finale and was just reward for Hull’s endeavour, but they were ultimately denied as United held on to rubber-stamp a date with Southampton at Wembley Stadium on February 27. Here are three things we learnt from an entertaining clash on Humberside.

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United remain a work in progress

Such a long unbeaten sequence of results was always going to come to an end at some point, although it was a surprise that struggling Hull were the side to do it. Mourinho endured a tough start to life as Manchester United manager but looks to be steering the ship to calmer waters. They are not the finished article, however. The Red Devils have drawn their past two Premier League fixtures with Liverpool and Stoke City and remain four points and two places outside the top four, which is Mourinho’s minimum target this season. Goals are sill generally hard to come by and the Portuguese has been publicly critical of his side’s profligacy in front of goal. He will be pleased with Pogba’s growing influence, though. The Frenchman’s goal was his seventh of the season – a figure second only to Zlatan Ibrahimovic at the club – and a vital one it was too as, without it, United might have been at real risk of not progressing to the final.