Hull City, a team that narrowly avoided relegation to League One 16 months ago based on goal difference, had to rely on a last-minute goal from Oli McBurnie in the Championship playoff final at Wembley four months ago to secure a place in the Premier League. Just three weeks ago, they were considered a strong contender to break Derby County’s record for the worst points tally in the Premier League. However, on Saturday night, Hull defied expectations by finishing third in the Premier League with eight points after a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge, extending their unbeaten run to four matches. They have defeated Manchester United and Coventry City, while also drawing with Aston Villa and Chelsea. Hull’s success has been nothing short of remarkable, especially given the skepticism surrounding their ability to maintain the form that earned them promotion. Their journey to the Premier League began on the final day of the 2024-25 Championship season, when a 1-1 draw against Portsmouth and a loss by Luton Town to West Brom secured their Championship status on goal difference. A transfer embargo, imposed after the club failed to pay Aston Villa £1 million for a loan fee, limited their ability to strengthen the squad. This squad had scored the fewest goals in the Championship (44 in 46 matches) during the previous campaign. Manager Rubén Sellés, who was hired five months before the promotion, was soon replaced. However, 12 months later, Hull were celebrating their promotion to the Premier League under manager Sergej Jakirovic, who took over at the start of the previous season and guided the team to a sixth-place finish and a playoff spot. They accumulated 73 points, scoring 70 goals in the process. This was unexpected, as Coventry City had scored 97 goals while earning 95 points. Hull’s defense, which conceded 66 goals, was the fourth worst in the league. Hull’s early success in the Premier League has been attributed to their continuation of a low-possesion, direct style of play. In the Championship, they averaged 45% possession, the fifth-lowest in the division, and in the Premier League, that figure has dropped to 29.4%, the lowest in the league. They have maintained their approach, using a long, vertical, direct style. Assistant manager Dean Holden noted after their opening weekend win against Manchester United that the team is comfortable without the ball and has not had to adapt to not having the ball, unlike other promoted teams. Hull’s defensive strategy, including a 5-4-1 formation, has also played a key role in their early success. They have not conceded in their first three Premier League matches, with summer signings like Nobel Mendy adding physicality to an already strong backline. Their ground duel success rate is the sixth-highest in the Premier League, and their aerial duel success rate also ranks sixth. Hull’s unity has been a significant factor in their success. Eight of the starting XI at Stamford Bridge were part of last season’s promotion-winning side, and despite spending £150 million over the summer, the club has not replaced the group that secured their Premier League spot. Manager Jakirovic stated that the transfer embargo and challenges of the previous season brought the team closer together. However, Hull fans remain cautious, recalling that in the 2008-09 season, the club was third in the Premier League after nine games but barely avoided relegation by a single point. For now, they are enjoying their current position in the upper half of the league.