Manchester United 2-0 Hull City: EFL Cup semi-final - as it happened

Full time: Manchester United 2-0 Hull

Job more or less done for Manchester United. Nine wins in a row secured via goals from Juan Mata and Marouane Fellaini, which helps put one foot in the EFL Cup final. Hull huffed and puffed but with a unfamiliar defence and further injuries never really offered hope they could stage a shock. The second leg could be a formality.

Josh Tymon becomes the latest addition to the Hull injury list as he is carried from the field. James Weir on for stoppage time, of which there will be four minutes. Martial almost makes it three, but is denied on the volley.

GOAL! Manchester United 2-0 Hull (Marouane Fellaini)

One foot in the Wembley final for United. Darmian's crosses deeply, and Fellaini heads across goal and despite Huddlestone's best efforts he can't keep the ball out. Hull look done.

Hull appear content with this result it appears and are merely trying to contain the hosts, rather than get an equaliser. They might fancy their chances at the KCO Stadium, having only been beaten by a stoppage time goal when the teams met in the Premier League.

Shaun Maloney on for Hull and he almost has an immediate impact but skews his effort, almost his first touch, well wide without troubling De Gea.

Mata pokes home to give United the lead.

AGAINST THE POST! Paul Pogba with a curler from the left-hand channel, 25 yards out, and the French hits the upright. Hull inches away from going two behind.

Jesse Lingard is the second United change, coming on for Henrik Mkhitaryan, who has impressed again tonight.

Hull are not lying down here and they almost equalise as Meyler's cross evades Valencia and Diomande, acrobatically, volleys over the crossbar. It would have been spectacular, but it is a chance nonetheless for Marco Silva's side.

Anthony Martial on and Wayne Rooney off for Manchester United. No record for him tonight. Liverpool on Sunday....

GOAL! Manchester United 1-0 Hull (Juan Mata)

The deadlock is finally broken and it is Juan Mata to the rescue. Henrikh Mkhitaryan heads Antonio Valencia's cross across goal and Mata is on hand to poke into the roof of the net.

Wayne Rooney within inches of the United scoring record. Rooney brings down a cross-field pass, gets it out of his feet and smashes goalwards but just wide. It goes down as a genuine chance. Will he get a better one?

Plenty of discussion over the atmosphere at Old Trafford which has appeared slightly muted this evening, despite it playing host to a cup semi-final. Jose Mourinho has demanded the fans raise the roof, but they haven't had much to shout about so far.

Back underway at Old Trafford. No changes at the break.

Half time: Manchester United 0-0 Hull City

Not the one-way traffic we were expecting. Hull City's injury list may have grown but so has their fight and character and they are holding Manchester United without much cause for alarm after an impressive first half. United have dominated possession naturally but have rarely threatened Jakupovic. Diomande's header which hit the post is the closest either side have come.

Another half chance for United as Valencia cross to the back post appears to pick out an unmarked Pogba, but he leaves the ball and it runs out of play. Meanwhile, at the other end Hernandez forces a low save out of De Gea. Hull holding their own in this first half.

United pilling on the pressure against a injury-ridden Hull.

OFF THE POST! Hull almost take the lead as Diomande capitalises on some shoddy United defending and heads the loose ball onto the post. He may have been offside in the process but that is a warning to the hosts, who have yet to make their dominance count.

Mata sets up Mkhitaryan again, but he skies his effort well off target from 18 yards. two chances now for the Armenian, but neither have tested the 'keeper. United dominating possession now and it seems like a matter of time until they go ahead.

As Hull players continue to fall like lemmings, United should be ahead. Mata jinks inside brilliantly and tees up Mkhitaryan who shoots wide from about eight yards. Not really sure how he missed the target, there.

Abel Hernandez on for Hull as Henriksen trudges off. Shame for the Norwegian.

Paul Pogbal muscles Markus Henriksen to the floor, but as he hits the floor his shoulder appears to have taken a nasty blow - perhaps a dislocation - and he is going to have to be replaced. Yet another injury for Hull and Marco Silva to deal with.

Harry Maguire is Hull's only recognised centre-back tonight but he almost became a hero at the other end. The former Sheffield United man roams into the United half and gets as far as the edge of the box before is shot is easily saved by David de Gea. Hull will need to show more of that no fear approach.

All Manchester United in the early moments, and half an opening for Rooney who slides in after Rashford's miss-hit shot but Robertson clears.

Two minutes in and already Eldin Jakupovic is called into action. Mkhitaryan crosses low from the left and Mata takes a swing at the ball, forcing the Hull stopper is a despairing dive to his right.

Can Wayne Rooney create history tonight?

Players out and we're underway at Old Trafford. Pray for Hull.

Former Hull managers all over Old Trafford. Anyone seen Iain Dowie?

Earlier today football plunged to a new, perhaps irretrievable low as Fifa decided to expand the World Cup to 48 teams for the 2026 edition of the tournament. Interested in how this will work on 10 years time? Head to our explainer to tie you over before kick-off.

A contribution from one of our esteemed writers....

Marco Silva's appointment as Hull manager might be a little bit of a gamble, not to mention a case of 'too little, too late' but he comes across as a very educated individual. Some of you may have seen Paul Merson's ill-choose words regarding the Tigers boss, after he was chosen ahead of several English candidates. For those thatr haven't, I've embedded it below.

Jose will be only too aware of the history he can make in this competition. He knows the importance of laying down a marker.

Mike Phelan in the Sky Sports studio tonight, just weeks on from his sacking as Hull manager. Currently revealing all on his Tigers tenure, behind legal restrictions with his pay-off from the KCOM Stadium not yet agreed.

Tonight could be another landmark day in the career of Wayne Rooney. A goal tonight will see him become Manchester United's all-time leading goalscorer, leapfrogging Sir Bobby Charlton in the process. He went level with Charlton in the 4-0 win over Reading with the opening goal, but could claim the record for his own tonight.

Big night for Tom Huddlestone, winner of the competition with Tottenham in 2008, who starts at the heart of the Hull defence tonight.

The winter cold has also hurt Hull City tonight, with Jake Livermore also missing for the same reason. He ended the FA Cup win over Swanea in defence.

Ibrahimovic's illness comes at a bad time for United with Liverpool on the horizon, but the club insists his absence tonight is merely a precaution.

Illness has forced Zlatan Ibrahimovic out of tonight's game, United confirm.

The Hull bench meanwhile includes two 20-year-olds, as well as ex-United youngster James Weir, who is 21.

So Harry Maguire is passed fit for Hull but there is no Michael Dawson, leaving them thread-bare at the back. Either Tom Huddlestone or David Meyler will fill in at the back, while 17-year-old Josh Tymon will also start in defence. Marco Silva's plight is such that he can only name six players on the bench. Desperate times.

Hull City: Jakupovic, Robertson, Maguire, Meyler, Huddlestone, Snodgrass, Clucas, Diomande, Henriksen, Mason, Tymon.

An interesting team named by Jose Mourinho for this semi-final first leg. Paul Pogba returns in midfield alongside Ander Herrera. Record-chasing Wayne Rooney retains his place ahead Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who is not even in the squad for tonight's game.

Some early team news from Old Trafford. Manchester United team sheet arrives.

Marco Silva has been described as the 'kid' by Jose Mourinho. Can the apprentice down the master tonight?

Ahead of the team news being confirmed, here is the Old Trafford playlist ahead of tonight's game.

So how are we expecting both sides to line up tonight?

Manchester United are expected to name a full-strength team so Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba are both expected to return, after being rested against Reading. Ander Herrera and Antonio Valencia may also feature.

Hull city are without any recognised centre-backs after Michael Dawson and Harry Maguire both suffered injuries against Swansea. Abel Hernandez is fit though after marking his return with a goal.

We're down to just four as the race to win the first major trophy of the English season reaches the sharp end. Tonight sees Old Trafford play host to the first leg of the first semi-final as Hull City travel to a Manchester United side looking for a ninth straight win on the bounce. Jose Mourinho's side are hitting form at just the right time and they could take Hull to thw sword tonight.

The Tigers arrive in Manchester with a new manager in Marco Silva, but little optimism elsewhere. The FA Cup win over Swansea was beset by their smallest crowd of the season a fan protests continue, while with no recognised fit centre-halves they could be pummeled by Ibrahimovic and co. tonight.

All the build-up and teams news to come ahead of the 8pm kick-off.