Joshua Zirkzee Becomes a Manchester United Hero with Late Winner Against Fulham in Premier League Opener
Joshua Zirkzee made an instant impact on his Manchester United debut, scoring a late goal to secure a 1-0 victory over Fulham in the Premier League season opener on Friday.
The Dutch forward, who joined United from Bologna for £36.5 million ($47 million) last month, only featured for the final 30 minutes due to limited match fitness. However, he made his presence felt when he converted Alejandro Garnacho’s cross in the 87th minute, rescuing the Red Devils from a frustrating evening at Old Trafford.
United manager Erik ten Hag, who narrowly kept his job at the end of last season after an eighth-place Premier League finish but an FA Cup triumph, now faces the challenge of building on that success. The team's performance, however, was reminiscent of last season's struggles, raising questions about whether their surprise victory over Manchester City in the FA Cup final could truly serve as a springboard.
Ahead of the match, Ten Hag admitted that his side was "not ready" for the new season, with several key players sidelined due to injuries or lack of fitness, and this showed on the pitch.
With Rasmus Hojlund unavailable, Bruno Fernandes started in an unfamiliar center-forward role, while Zirkzee was benched after a delayed return from Euro 2024. Recent signing Noussair Mazraoui was thrust into the starting lineup at left-back, just days after arriving from Bayern Munich. Notably absent from the squad was Jadon Sancho, despite reports of a reconciliation with Ten Hag.
Fulham, who won at Old Trafford for the first time in 20 years last February, began the match confidently. Andre Onana was called into action early, making a fine save to deny Kenny Tete's long-range effort.
However, Fulham nearly gifted United the lead when Casemiro capitalized on a poor pass from goalkeeper Bernd Leno, only for Fernandes to shoot straight at Leno. Casemiro, whose inconsistent form was a major issue for United last season, showed glimpses of his old self, creating another chance for Fernandes, who again failed to convert.
United's struggles in front of goal persisted after the break. Leno produced another excellent save to deny Mason Mount, who has yet to find his footing since his move from Chelsea over a year ago.
Desperate for a breakthrough, Ten Hag brought on Garnacho and Zirkzee. The change nearly backfired as Fulham threatened to snatch all three points, with Andreas Pereira's poor pass preventing Alex Iwobi from breaking through, and Lisandro Martinez making a crucial clearance from Pereira's low cross.
In the end, it was United who found the decisive goal. Garnacho's cross was not the best, but Zirkzee managed to stretch and poke the ball past Leno into the far corner.
United could have added a second in stoppage time, but Garnacho missed a golden opportunity after being set up by Marcus Rashford. Despite the late drama, United held on to secure a vital win and give Ten Hag the positive start he desperately needed.
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