Hull City's perfect start continues as newly promoted Tigers stun Coventry

Hull City have made it two wins from two in their Premier League return, coming from a goalless stalemate to beat fellow promoted side Coventry City 1-0 away from home. It's an extraordinary opening to life back in the top flight for Sergej Jakirovic's side.

Substitute Liam Millar proved the difference, striking late on after being introduced in the 58th minute to add direct running to Hull's attack. It followed an opening-weekend win over Manchester United, meaning Hull now sit level on points with Manchester City and Arsenal at the top of the table after two matchdays.

How Hull City ground out another away win

Coventry, managed by Frank Lampard, made three changes following their opening-day defeat to Arsenal but struggled to create clear chances of their own, with Taiwo Awoniyi's early header the closest they came to breaking the deadlock. Hull's own play was disciplined rather than spectacular for large periods, mirroring the defensive solidity that characterised their opening-day win over Manchester United, before Jakirovic's introduction of Millar shifted the balance of the game. The substitute latched onto a breaking ball inside the penalty area in the 82nd minute and drove a low finish beyond Coventry goalkeeper Carl Rushworth, sending the travelling Hull supporters into raptures and securing a third consecutive clean sheet in the process.

Hull City's remarkable start by the numbers

Two matchdays into their Premier League return, Hull's underlying numbers back up what's been an eye-catching start on the pitch.

• Points: Six from a possible six, matching Manchester City and Arsenal at the top of the table.
• Clean sheets: Two in two, having not conceded a goal since their promotion-winning campaign carried into the new season.
• Opening-day result: Beat Manchester United 2-0 at the MKM Stadium, with defenders Semi Ajayi and Nobel Mendy both on the scoresheet.
• Shot conversion: Have scored from three of their five shots on target across their opening 180 minutes of Premier League football.

Why Hull's defensive foundation is the real story

While Millar's goal provided the moment of magic, it's Hull's defensive record that has quietly underpinned their perfect start, with the same central defensive pairing that scored against Manchester United now also anchoring back-to-back clean sheets. For a newly promoted side, keeping opponents out has traditionally proven just as important as scoring goals, and Jakirovic's side appear to have built their early success on exactly that principle. It's a promising sign for a club that will face considerably sterner attacking tests in the coming weeks as the fixture list moves on from fellow promoted sides to more established Premier League opposition.

What comes next for Hull City after their perfect start

Sitting alongside two of the Premier League's traditional heavyweights after two matchdays is a remarkable position for a club that only secured promotion via the play-offs. The challenge now shifts to sustaining this level against opposition with considerably more top-flight experience, but two wins, two clean sheets, and a squad clearly buying into Jakirovic's approach gives Hull every reason to believe this start is built on more than just good fortune.