Hull’s 0-0 draw with Aston Villa made English football history, something that hasn’t happened in 138 years!
A special moment in English top-flight football happened after Hull and Aston Villa finished 0-0 on Saturday. Villa earned their first point of the season at the MKM Stadium but only had one shot on target despite controlling most of the game against Hull.
For Hull, this was their seventh point in three Premier League games under Sergej Jakirovic, proving early predictions of their quick relegation wrong.
It was the second 0-0 draw of the day, with Nottingham Forest and Tottenham also ending without goals. This created an unusual record in English football.
Both Villa and Spurs haven’t scored in any of their first three Premier League games this season. Villa lost 4-0 to Brighton and 1-0 at home to Arsenal earlier. Spurs also started with tough losses, going down 3-0 to Brentford and 2-0 to Newcastle at home.
Along with Coventry, who also haven’t scored yet, this season marks the first time since 1888 that three teams have failed to score in their opening three top-flight matches, according to OptaJoe.
Coventry, back in the Premier League after 25 years, had tough games early on, including a 1-0 loss to Manchester City. They hoped for a win at home against Hull but lost 1-0 thanks to a late goal by Liam Millar.
Villa have had to rebuild their team after many players left over the summer. Manager Unai Emery has mostly relied on last season’s squad while introducing 10 new signings gradually. Against Hull, only Zion Suzuki and Nicolas Jackson started, with Alejandro Garnacho, Alysson, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and Matteo Ruggeri coming on as substitutes. Some players like Joao Gomes couldn’t play due to suspension, and Johan Manzambi is still injured.
Meanwhile, Spurs spent around £400 million in the summer transfer window, but that hasn’t shown much on the pitch yet. Manager Roberto De Zerbi said he was “happy with the team’s spirit” after their 0-0 draw with Forest but admitted they need to improve, especially in the attacking third.
He explained, “We played well, but we must make better decisions near goal. We need to stay calm when we have chances. For example, Marmoush’s shot and the way we had Robertson overlapping – if we choose better shots or passes, we could have scored more easily. Also, some crosses went too far, and players like Mateus Fernandes were left out when they could have scored.”
It’s clear both teams have plenty to work on, but fans will be hoping goals come soon!