Teenage Socceroo Lucas Herrington makes Premier League debut in Hull City's win over Manchester United

Teenage Socceroo Lucas Herrington has made a dream start to life in the Premier League, coming on as a second-half substitute in Hull City's boilover 2-0 victory over giants Manchester United.

The 18-year-old defender, the only Australian in English soccer's top-flight, didn't put a foot wrong in promoted Hull's return to the big-time when he came on to help them protect their two-goal lead.

The lanky Queenslander was immaculate at the heart of the home side's defence for the final half-hour as Hull confounded all the doubters to earn their first league victory over United in 52 years.

Written off as overwhelming relegation favourites, the Yorkshire side were well worth their win over a lumbering United, whose build-up play was too pedestrian and attacking execution too shoddy.

In the 38th minute the Tigers' central defender Nobel Mendy, who was signed on the same day as Herrington earlier in the month but who got the nod to start ahead of the young Aussie, scored their second goal.

By that time, Michael Carrick's United were already struggling to get to grips with a side that deservedly led through a couple of first-half set-pieces.

Centre-back Semi Ajayi opened the scoring in the 17th minute when United failed to deal with a corner, and then Regan Slater whipped in a 38th minute free-kick that Mendy latched on to, nodding home expertly.

But when Mendy had to come off injured in the 64th minute, Herrington, a record $A33 million signing for an Australian player, got his big moment, the former Colorado Rapids defender coming on in a triple substitution.

He became the first Australian teenager to play in the Premier League since Harry Kewell and, at 18 years 351 days, is the third-youngest Australian to play in England's top-flight.

The youngster with a big reputation for his calmness never looked fazed as United tried to eke their way back into the match with a series of largely lumbering attacks.

He only had nine touches amid United's huff-and-puff but they all told of a lad who already seems at home in this elevated company.

With Hull's Bosnian boss, Sergej Jakirovic, revealing Ajayi, Mendy and captain Lewis Coyle will all have to be assessed for their injuries over the next 24 hours, Herrington will next be in line to feature in Wednesday morning's AEST League Cup tie at Championship side Stoke.

Then he may well feature in their next league game, a huge one at also-promoted Coventry, who lost their opener on Friday 3-0 at champions Arsenal.