Hull City are making a statement in their first season back in the Premier League in a decade, avoiding defeat and keeping three clean sheets to begin the season.
On the touchline, Bosnian tactician Sergej Jakirovic is leading the charge for the Tigers, who have mixed it with two of the biggest clubs in the top-flight so far.
The 49-year-old was rewarded with a new deal this summer as part of efforts from the Tigers' Chairman Acun Ilıcalı to keep him at the club after his stunning sucess in East Yorkshire.
Following successful spells in Eastern Europe, Jakirovic is proving to be a handful for Premier League sides, impressively.
Sergej Jakirovic's Story and Journey to The Premier League
Sergej Jakirovic began his foray into coaching at the end of his professional playing career, coaching teams in Croatia and Slovenia.
His first big move was to become coach of Bosnian Premier League club Zrinjski Mostar in December 2020, and he led them to league glory within two years of his appointment.
He left afterwards to join Croatian side Rijeka in January 2023, and was coaching Dinamo Zagreb eight months later.
In his first season at Dinamo Zagreb, he led the club to the Croatian league and Cup double before his sacking in September 2024.
He took over at Turkish outfit Kayserispor in the second half of the 2024-25 season, helping them to avoid relegation from the top-flight before leaving the club at the end of the season.
In June 2025, he signed a two-year deal with Hull City, with an option for a further year, based on how his team performed.
He joined a club that had barely escaped relegation from the Championship in the previous season, and his mandate was to keep them in the league.
He brought valuable European tournament experience to Hull City and transformed their fortunes.
He averaged 1.58 points per game during his debut Championship season, securing a play-off spot on the final day of the regular season after a victory over Norwich City at the MKM Stadium.
In the playoffs, his team kept three clean sheets as they overcame Millwall and Middlesbrough to reach the Premier League.
Tactical Blueprint: High-Intensity Pressing and Direct Vertical Transitions
Jakirovic's footballing identity centers on a direct, robust, and high-intensity style of football that shifts away from just keeping possession in favor of aggressive attacks and strong defensive organization.
This season, they have employed a compact mid-block that aggressively triggers pressing traps when opposition teams attempt to build through central midfield.
Upon winning turnover balls, the Tigers attack space with rapid, direct wing play, making them particularly lethal during counter-attacking scenarios both at home and on the road.
They also focus on set pieces in both boxes, defending and attacking those with equal levels of quality.
How Have Jakirovic's Hull City Side Performed This Season?
Sergej Jakirovic and his Hull City team have faced two UEFA Champions League sides in their first three games this season, also going up against last season's Championship winners Coventry City.
Their first game against Manchester United saw them win 2-0 with a pair of goals from set-pieces.
They followed it up with a 1-0 win over Coventry City before playing out a goalless draw against Aston Villa in their third game of the campaign this weekend.
They almost snatched a win over Villa at the MKM Stadium, with Mohamed Belloumi striking the crossbar with a curling effort in the 65th minute.
Jakirovic's Tigers are only the third newly-promoted team to begin the season with three clean sheets in as many matches, after Charlton Athletic in 1998-99 and Huddersfield Town in 2017-18.
