Hull City have made an astonishing start to their Premier League campaign, currently sitting third with eight points from four games including victories over Manchester United and Coventry. This is remarkable given that 16 months ago they narrowly avoided relegation to League One, and merely three weeks prior to the season they were tipped to threaten Derby County's record for the worst points tally in Premier League history.

The scale of their turnaround is statistically improbable. Last season they accumulated just 73 points and 70 goals whilst conceding 66, eventually finishing sixth and winning the Championship playoff final. By expected goals metrics, they would have finished second-bottom in the division. Manager Sergej Jakirovic has maintained their tactical identity rather than attempting wholesale change for the Premier League: Hull average just 29.4% possession (the lowest in the division), compared to 45% in the Championship, and continue employing a direct, long-ball approach built around striker Oli McBurnie. This familiarity with a counter-attacking style has proven their greatest strength in adapting to top-flight football, allowing them to avoid the typical struggles faced by newly promoted sides.