Kids win at Hull

Cristiano Ronaldo wasn't even on the bench as Manchester United's kids ran out as 10 winners away at Hull. Ronaldo, at 23, would be consderd too old for the team that faced the Tigers!

With Sir Alex Ferguson's men already crowned Premier League champions and set to contest the Champions League final against Barcelona on Wednesday, the Scot was always going to rest his most important players. Ferguson retained only Darren Fletcher, who will miss the Rome showpiece because of suspension, from the side that drew 0-0 with Arsenal to seal the title.

Hull boss Phil Brown, however, had insisted his team would be focused only on victory and not United's team sheet. Ironically, Brown's own team selection was also determined by United as Alberto Manucho had to be left out because the on-loan striker was ineligible to play against his parent club - Dean Marney took his place in the only change to Hull's starting XI.

Hull started brightly and two crosses from Geovanni caused momentary panic in the United defence, which was lacking the injured Rio Ferdinand, who must now be considered a big doubt for Wednesday. But their play generally lacked conviction and soon United's youngsters began to settle into the match.

United probed with a Nani free-kick before a lunging Lee Martin was close to converting a low cross and Danny Welbeck wasted a good headed chance. Then came the hammer blow that all Hull fans had feared when Gibson smashed home a ferocious shot into the far corner and United should have doubled their lead soon after but Federico Macheda could not convert Martin's centre.

United carved open Hull with a fluid move and Macheda should have done better than to blast wide from inside the box, then Richard Eckersley fizzed a shot narrowly wide of the post.

Hull: Myhill, Ricketts, Turner, Kilbane, Dawson, Garcia (Cousin 81), Marney, Boateng, Barmby (Mendy 68), Geovanni (Folan 54), Fagan.

Subs Not Used: Duke, Hughes, Halmosi, Zayatte.
Booked: Barmby, Marney.

Man Utd: Kuszczak, Rafael Da Silva (Eckersley 60), Neville, Brown, De Laet (Possebon 79), Nani, Fletcher, Gibson, Welbeck (Tosic 87), Martin, Macheda.

Subs Not Used: Amos, Corry Evans, Drinkwater, James.
Booked: Gibson.
Goals: Gibson 24.

Att: 24,945
Ref: Alan Wiley (Staffordshire).