Super Eagles sweating over Ajayi fitness after Man United heroics

Nigeria will be monitoring the fitness of Super Eagles defender Semi Ajayi after the Hull City star suffered a suspected hamstring injury during his impressive performance against Manchester United.

The centre-back scored and helped the newly promoted Tigers secure a memorable 2-0 victory over the Red Devils in their Premier League return, but his second-half withdrawal has raised concerns over his availability for upcoming fixtures.

Ajayi enjoyed a dream Premier League comeback at the MKM Stadium, opening the scoring as Hull City stunned Manchester United on the opening weekend of the 2026/27 campaign.

The Nigerian reacted quickest after Manchester United failed to clear a corner, smashing the ball home from close range in the 17th minute to give Sergej Jakirovic’s side a historic lead. Hull doubled their advantage before half-time through Nobel Mendy, securing a famous victory against the 13-time Premier League champions.

However, Ajayi’s afternoon ended prematurely when he was replaced by Paddy McNair in the 64th minute after struggling with an injury concern. Speaking after the match, Hull manager Jakirovic admitted that the defensive changes were not part of his original plans and that injuries forced his hand.

“It was not the plan. We made four substitutions in the defensive line. I don't know, after medical check I will know much more,” Jakirovic said.

The Hull boss revealed that Ajayi had complained about a hamstring issue before being taken off, adding, “Ajayi was complaining about his hamstring and Nobel on adductor. Coyle always with his ankles,” he added.

Ajayi’s injury will be a concern for both Hull City and the Super Eagles, particularly given the defender’s recent history with fitness problems.

The 32-year-old missed 14 matches during Hull’s Championship promotion campaign last season due to injury issues, making his current situation something the club will monitor carefully.

The former Arsenal academy player is expected to undergo further assessment over the next 48 hours to determine the severity of the problem. Ajayi is now a doubt for Hull’s Carabao Cup clash against Stoke City at the bet365 Stadium on Tuesday.

A serious injury setback could also threaten his involvement with Nigeria during the September international window, where the Super Eagles are expected to continue preparations for upcoming competitive fixtures.

For now, Hull and Nigeria will hope Ajayi’s withdrawal was only a precaution and that the defender can quickly recover after playing a starring role in one of the biggest opening-day shocks in Premier League history.