Perfect records on the line as Hull City face United

That a Manchester United side boasting world-record signing Paul Pogba have won their opening two games of the Premier League season is no surprise — but that newly-promoted Hull City have done so certainly is.
 United, managed by Jose Mourinho, who guided Chelsea to several English titles, splashed out £89mn (105mn euros, $116mn) to bring midfielder Pogba back from Juventus and have since beaten both Bournemouth and Southampton.
 Hull, by contrast, have no permanent manager, a squad of just 13 fit players and no new signings, while the owners of the northern club are contemplating a sale.
 Yet despite all that, Hull, who only won promotion via the play-offs, have beaten Premier League champions Leicester and Swansea to join United, along with fellow heavyweights Manchester City and Chelsea, as just one of four teams to make a perfect start in English football’s top-flight this season.
 Something, however, will have to give in terms of a 100% league record when Hull, under the caretaker charge of Mike Phelan—a former United player who then moved onto the coaching staff to work alongside manager Alex Ferguson as the silverware piled up at Old Trafford—meet Mourinho’s men at the KCOM Stadium today.
 United have looked revitalised under their Portuguese manager, while pre-season signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic has not wasted any time in making his mark.
 The 34-year-old superstar striker, recruited on a free transfer after leaving Paris St Germain, has scored four times in his first three United games, including their Community Shield win over Leicester.
 Should he extend his run at Hull, former Sweden international Ibrahimovic will become the first United player in 91 years, and only the second in all, to score in his first four matches for the club.
 Already United are looking as though they will challenge for a first league title since 2013, with midfielder Juan Mata insisting there is better to come.
 “It’s still August and that means we are still working on a few adjustments,” said Mata. “We know there’s still room for improvement. We are laying the foundations of the team for this season.
 “We have a tough game ahead at Hull City. It’s never easy and they are one of the four teams that have won the first two games this season,” the Spaniard added. “They are back in the Premier League this year and are having a surprising start. We will try to win and keep our good streak.”
 Midfielder Jesse Lingaard will return to the United squad following a hamstring problem, with the out-of-favour Bastian Schweinsteiger—who this week said he would not move to another club in Europe—the only senior player not under consideration.
 Phelan, who took charge after the resignation of former Manchester United teammate Steve Bruce last month, is on the verge of being appointed Hull’s manager full time.
 And the 53-year-old has credited the two decades he spent as a player, coach and assistant manager under Ferguson as playing a major role in shaping his readiness to take the step into management.
 Phelan won the Champions League, six Premier Leagues and the FA Cup during his time working with Ferguson, and he said: “I had a fantastic 20 years there. Sir Alex would give you an opportunity to do the work which was good in terms of my development and it was a great place to learn about so many aspects of coaching and management.”
 Hull, who are unbeaten at home in the league since November, haven’t signed a senior outfield player on a permanent deal for almost a year, but remain hopeful of bringing in reinforcements in the final week of the transfer window.
 Meanwhile, defender Josh Tymon and striker Greg Luer, who were both injured in Hull’s 3-1 EFL Cup win at fourth-tier Exeter in midweek, face fitness tests ahead of today’s match.
 Elsewhere, Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola could give an immediate debut to Claudio Bravo two days after paying £17mn to sign the goalkeeper from Barcelona as a direct replacement for England international Joe Hart.
 In his most significant statement of intent since arriving from Bayern Munich in the close-season, Guardiola has axed Hart and turned to Bravo because he believes the Chile captain will more successfully fulfil his desire for a ‘sweeper-keeper’ who can keep possession as well as make saves.
 Bravo has signed in time to face the Hammers at Eastlands tomorrow and it will be fascinating to see how he fares if Guardiola selects him ahead of deputy Willy Caballero, who started City’s league wins over Sunderland and Stoke. “Claudio is a fantastic goalkeeper and an excellent addition to our squad,” Guardiola said. “He has experience and great leadership qualities and is in the prime of his life.”
 Chelsea’s renaissance under former Juventus and Italy boss Antonio Conte has been aided by the predatory instincts of Diego Costa, whose late goals have secured wins against West Ham and Watford.
 Costa had been linked with a move back to Atletico Madrid after a tempestuous second season in England, but Conte has so far brought the best out of the volatile striker. Next on Costa’s hit list are Burnley, who visit Stamford Bridge on the back of an impressive 2-0 win over Liverpool and then a woeful League Cup exit at fourth-tier Accrington.
 “We got a win against the odds, and then lost against the odds,” Burnley boss Sean Dyche said. “We know there’s a group of teams that’s more difficult to get points against, particularly away from home, and Chelsea come into that.”
 At White Hart Lane, Tottenham host Liverpool in a clash between two clubs hoping to gatecrash the Manchester duopoly at the top of the table. Liverpool duo Emre Can (ankle) and Divock Origi (cramp) are struggling to be fit in time.

Fixtures (Qatar Time)
Playing Today (1700 unless stated)
Chelsea v Burnley, Crystal Palace vs Bournemouth, Everton vs Stoke, Hull v Manchester United (1930), Leicester vs Swansea, Southampton vs Sunderland, Tottenham vs Liverpool (1430), Watford vs Arsenal
Playing Tomorrow
Manchester City vs West Ham (1800),
West Brom vs Middlesbrough (1530)