Hull face the tricky task of halting Manchester United’s excellent recent run when they travel to Old Trafford for the first leg of their League Cup semi-final tonight (8pm kick-off).

The Tigers have beaten Exeter, Stoke, Bristol City, and Newcastle United en route to the last four, which is the furthest they have been in the competition in their 113-year history, beating last season’s run to the quarter-finals.

However, Marco Silva, who replaced the sacked Mike Phelan on Thursday last week, takes his side to the most in-form team in the country at present, as Jose Mourinho’s United have won their last eight successive matches in all competitions.

Clearly, the Red Devils will go in as heavy favourites to take a lead into the second leg in a fortnight’s time, yet Silva’s men recorded a fine 2-0 success over Swansea on Saturday in the Portuguese’s first game in charge of the Tigers.

Add that to the fact that Hull have won all three of their away League Cup matches this season, and they are going to be tough to beat this evening, so here are THREE reasons why they will get the win at Old Trafford…

Important win on Saturday

Photo: Charlotte Wilson / Offside

A new manager is always searching to get that first win as soon as possible but, for Silva at Hull, he got it in his first game in charge.

The Tigers beat fellow Premier League strugglers Swansea 2-0 in the third round of the FA Cup on Saturday in what was an accomplished display and deserved victory for Silva’s men.

It was also their first clean sheet in 23 matches, and the confidence they’ll get from that, the performance, and the result will hold them in good stead going to Old Trafford on Tuesday.

New manager, new ideas

Photo: Offside / L’Equipe

Silva replaced Mike Phelan at the rear end of last week, and immediately set about making a few changes for the clash with Swansea.

And, given that his side won 2-0, it suggests that he has made a positive impact on the players in his first few days in the job.

There is usually a new manager effect at several clubs in the early stages of his tenure and, given that Silva has got that all-important first victory in his first game, he’ll be more relaxed going to Old Trafford this evening.

Remember, Hull only lost 1-0 to United in the Premier League back in August, so they know how to thwart the Red Devils for large periods and cause them problems – they’ll take that into tonight’s game.

Keep best ever League Cup run going

Photo: Simon Stacpoole / Offside.

This is the furthest Hull have ever been in the League Cup, and they aren’t going to want it to end just yet.

The Tigers reached the quarter-finals of the competition last season before succumbing to eventual winners Manchester City and, given that they reached the final of the FA Cup back in 2014, and indeed the fifth round last season, they have proven to be a really good cup team in recent times.

The two-legged nature of the semi-finals certainly plays into Hull’s hands, as they haven’t got to go to Old Trafford and win, but if they can stay in the game and take something back to the KCOM Stadium in two weeks’ time, they’ll fancy their chances of reaching a first League Cup final.