Hull 0 United 1

There were smiles all around the KC Stadium at the final whistle, although United took home the points in Hull courtesy of a Darron Gibson screamer.

The Reds, crowned champions last week, finished the season four points clear of Liverpool, while results elsewhere ensured Hull’s top-flight survival and prompted wild celebrations in the stands.

Gibson’s first-half goal – lashed into the top corner from outside the box – settled an entertaining affair that gave United fans plenty of reasons to smile, not least because of how well the Reds’ youngsters acquitted themselves on such a tense occasion.

Only Darren Fletcher – suspended for Wednesday’s Champions League final – remained from the team that drew 0-0 against Arsenal at Old Trafford eight days earlier. Indeed, Sir Alex reshuffled his pack so much that even his left-back – young Belgian defender Ritchie De Laet – will have been unfamiliar to most United fans.

Elsewhere, Lee Martin earned a league debut and Wes Brown returned to action after almost four months on the sidelines. In midfield, Fletcher partnered Gibson in the centre of the park, with Nani and Danny Welbeck on the flanks. Federico Macheda started up front, with Martin playing just behind the Italian.

Hull, playing for their top-flight survival, began brightly and forced two early corners. But the Reds held firm, Kuszczak meeting the second with a confident clearing punch. The Polish stopper was called on again in the eighth minute, this time diving bravely at Craig Fagan’s feet. Young Ritchie De Laet was earning his stripes against the Tigers, too, bombing forward with gusto down the left flank and, in defence, proving why the Reds were moved to secure his services from Stoke City back in January.

With so much at stake for Hull City and so many changes to the United side, it was perhaps understandable that it took 19 minutes for either team to register a shot on target. It came from Nani’s free-kick, centrally located and 30 yards from goal, although it barely troubled Boaz Myhill in the Hull goal.

By stark contrast, United’s second strike on target was nothing short of spectacular and sent the Reds roaring into the lead. Darron Gibson collected Macheda’s pass wide on the left before taking one touch and rifling a shot into the far corner from 25 yards. Regular viewers of the Reserves will have seen Gibson score similar goals on many occasions, but this was the Irishman’s first league strike for the senior side and one he’ll remember for many years.

The goal silenced the home support and things almost went from bad to worse for the Tigers a minute later when Macheda stretched to turn Martin’s low cross goalwards. Myhill was equal to the task on that occasion, however, as was Kuszczak on 36 minutes when Andy Dawson tried his luck from the edge of the box.

Despite a desperate need for points, Hull City created very little in the way of clear-cut openings. Indeed, if there was any element of surprise attached to the scoreline at the break, it was that United were only 1-0 ahead. Sir Alex’s youngsters had bossed possession and regularly looked dangerous in attack.

Hull’s players will have welcomed the half-time whistle and appeared to emerge from the dressing room for the second half revitalised and in more positive frame of mind. An awkward Geovanni cross made life difficult for Kuszczak, who did just enough to snuff out the danger from Nick Barmby’s header, before the Pole saved comfortably on the line from Michael Turner.

At the other end, the Reds stretched Hull on the counter-attack but when chances fell to Fletcher, Gibson and Macheda they all failed to capitalise and extend United’s lead.

Hull enjoyed more possession as the match wore on and the Tigers went in search of an equaliser that would all but ensure their survival. In the end, however, it wasn’t necessary: Villa beat Newcastle, West Ham beat Middlesbrough and Hull lived to fight another season in the top flight.