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.Â
Written off as overwhelming relegation favourites, with former England Joe Cole irritating their fans with his suggestion that "Hull are gone, man", 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 got the nod to start ahead of the young Aussie, scored their second goal.
It inspired the chant to ring round the MKM Stadium "Are you watching, Joe Cole?!".
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.
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 got on the end of to nod home.
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, coming on in a triple substitution to become the first Aussie teenager to play in the Premier League since Harry Kewell.
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.
For Carrick, it was a horror start to the their campaign, a first ever Premier League loss to Hull, whose first top-flight triumph in their return after nine years sparked ecstatic scenes among their fans and flamboyant owner Acun Ilicali as Satus Quo's "Rocking All Over the World" blared out.
