TWO defensive howlers and an injury to visitors' keeper Joe Hart were the major talking points as the two Cities shared the points.

Manchester's Tal Ben-Haim inexplicably tapped what should have been a simple back-pass into the path of Daniel Cousin who gratefully accepted the opportunity from six yards to give Hull the lead after 14 minutes.

Hart himself injured his ankle in attempting to save and was substituted shortly afterwards by Kasper Schmeichel. Manager Mark Hughes said later that the England hopeful would be out for up to a month.

No-one was more grateful than Ben-Haim when Hull managed virtually to replicate his unforced error as Kamil Zayette, attempting to clear, somehow played the ball to the advancing Stephen Ireland who made no mistake in finding the net. Ireland put the visitors ahead not long after when he curled a shot round Boaz Myhill.

But Hull were not finished as a free kick from Manchester old boy Geovanni deflected off Vincent Kompany to deceive Schmeichel.

Honours were even and deservedly so, although both sides created further chances which might have tilted the balance either way.

Robinho, captain for the day, had a quiet match by his standards although there were occasional glimpses of why City were prepared to invest £30m in him.

But why does Mark Hughes persist in playing Shaun Wright-Phillips in such a deep role when he could wreak such havoc as a conventional winger?