Read Matthias Jaissle's pre-match message ahead of Hull...

If we can do that, although there is still plenty to work on and improve, we can say it has been a decent start to the season overall with a lot to build on.

We had a tough night at Leeds on Monday – a really disappointing result and performance, which we need to learn from quickly. We lacked the fundamentals and were punished by a strong team, so there are absolutely no excuses.

This is the reality of the Premier League – if you fall short in your standards then your opponents will take advantage, especially teams like Leeds who are so physical and intense to play against.

We are still in a period of transition and we know there will be ups and downs this season with our young team. Monday was certainly a down for us – our first of the season – but we have to move on quickly and not allow it to affect our confidence or knock us off track. Thankfully, our schedule means we don’t have to wait long to put it right. Being back at St. James’ Park today, with the energy of our fans behind us, gives us a great opportunity to do that.

This afternoon we meet another tough opponent in Hull City, who have started their season very strongly following promotion. They are new to the league but play without fear and have totally deserved the points they have picked up so far. Every team in the Premier League presents a different kind of challenge – Hull are another physical side who will try to make things difficult for us. We will need to focus on our own principles and execute the things we have been working hard on in recent days.

Since we last played at St. James’ Park we have faced two midweek away games and I would like to give a special mention to the fans who followed us down to Millwall and Leeds. I really appreciate the effort, the sacrifice and the cost it takes to do that – it is really not easy but it shows your incredible dedication to supporting the club. We cannot take that for granted and after the disappointment of Monday night, it gives us real motivation to deliver the result and performance you deserve today.

Howay the lads!

Matthias Jaissle.

Make sure to pick up your copy of the official matchday programme, UNITED, this weekend, featuring: