After romping to English football's summit in such sensational fashion last season, Leicester City began the 2016-17 campaign by capturing an unwanted title: The first defending Premier League champion to lose on opening day.
And most surprisingly, the 2-1 defeat came courtesy of an injury-depleted and managerless Hull City.
Related: Hull stuns Leicester in Premier League opener
The Twittersphere was characteristically awash with opinion when Mike Dean sounded the final whistle, with some already shrouding doubt over Leicester's chances of retaining its top-flight crown:
Great start to Leicester's title defence💪🏼 pic.twitter.com/xqUDbYBnPt
— SJ (@StephenAJonesy) August 13, 2016
Absolute props to @HullCity. Against all odds they have been brilliant today. Really very good. Premier League is unbelievable X
— Callum Wright (@Mr_CallumWright) August 13, 2016
Why are these commentators making it sound like Hull City is beating Barca? It's Leicester, they got lucky last season, back to reality now
— Walid Bylka (@bylka613) August 13, 2016
Welcome to Small Sample Size Theater, I am your host, Hull City
— James Tyler (@JamesTylerESPN) August 13, 2016
Leicester morphing into Chelsea..it will be easy they wear a blue jersey, have an Italian coach and are set for the worst title defence ever
— Imoh Umoren (@ImohUmoren) August 13, 2016
Pulsating, eye-catching, flamboyant, controversial. Mike Dean is back. And also Hull have beaten Leicester.
— Rory Smith (@RorySmithTimes) August 13, 2016
Leicester maintains the element of surprise
— Bobby McMahon (@BobbySoccerRep) August 13, 2016
#LCFC way off the pace. Pre-season travels? Defensively passive. Vardy rusty. Tough day for new boys. Obvious Kante hole. Write them off? No
— Arlo White (@arlowhite) August 13, 2016
Transfer News: Andrea Bocelli to Hull City
— Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) August 13, 2016
Ranieri out!
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) August 13, 2016
Leicester's fairly tale getting Grimm
— Daily Cannon (@DailyCannon) August 13, 2016
International Champions Cup terrible preparation for a new season. Good for shirt sales, not so good for match sharpness. #LCFC
— John Bennett (@JohnBennettBBC) August 13, 2016
Deserved win for Hull. Defended far better. Worryingly little from Leicester once it went 2-1.
— Ian Darke (@IanDarke) August 13, 2016
