Manchester United's Joshua Zirkzee scores their side's first goal of the game during the Premier League match at Old Trafford, Manchester. Picture date: Friday August 16, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story SOCCER Man Utd. Photo credit should read: Martin Rickett/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications.
JOSHUA ZIRKZEE sat on the bench and watched as chances came and went.
Then he came on the pitch and showed everyone how to put one away.
A dream debut after coming on as a 60th minute sub, finishing with an 87th minute flick that won the game. Wow.
The £36.5million signing from Bologna finished off a superb move from deep inside their own half.
It ended with the excellent Casemiro feeding Alejandro Garnacho on the right and his fine low cross was met by the outstretched boot of Zirkzee in front of a delirious Stretford End.
Reward for Manchester United’s fine play on the night but it had all come without that finish.
Chances came and went before that goal as they looked like drawing a blank in their season opener with Bruno Fernandes spurning the best two.
There was not that recognised striker on the pitch from the start and it showed.
It is fair to say there had been a mixture of excitement and trepidation amongst the Red Devils fans ahead of the game.
The excitement comes from four new signings from which Noussair Mazraoui was the only starter last night.
There is a new coaching set up around Ten Hag and a management team above him – no doubt to find some more Dutch players.
The trepidation of course comes from the news that the injury curse which hit the club last season has not gone away.
Rasmus Hojlund and Leny Yoro both out after picking up injuries in the first half of their first US pre-season tour game.
Luke Shaw, has suffered another set back.
Meanwhile the manager admitted ahead of the game that the team certainly were not ready after a summer when players joined up with the rest of the squad late due to major tournaments.
The new players meanwhile will have to find their feet which is why he is easing Zirkzee in to get up to match fitness.
Still, the roar of the crowd was as the teams emerged was as loud as that which greeted that FA Cup final win last May.
That win said manager Ten Hag set the standard – ‘the togetherness, belief and determination on show, is what we want to see in every game this season and beyond’.
It was of course a performance against their neighbours City which undoubtedly saved Ten Hag his job and he was back in the technical area shouting pointing and cajoling.
He watched a first half that saw United rocked on the break early on but one they were in control of as it grew.
It was clear Fulham were happy to sit deep and catch United on the break.
They did just that through the Olympic sprinters pace of Adama Traore who tore into the home sides box before pulling the ball back.
New buy Mazraoui got an immediate ovation from the Stretford End for the way he had read the situation and cut the pass out.
Going forward the new full-back also would play five passes into the final third in that opening period and had a fine debut.
United were still appealing for a penalty when Fulham cut loose for a second time.
This moved finished with a curling shot towards the top corner from Kenny Tete which Andre Onana tipped over.
The Red Devils steadied themselves and began to play some neat passing football.
Both Amad Diallo and Kobbie Mainoo were looking particularly good.
Casemiro was also looking a lot slimmer than this time last season and was on the ball to twice set up Fernandes with great chances.
The first came after a mistake by goalkeeper Bernd Leno saw him fire the ball straight at the Brazilian.
Casemiro immediately fed it back through for Fernandes who shot with the outside of his right boot, but Leno recovered the situation saving with an outstretched leg.
It was the same scenario moments later when again the pair combined only for Leno once more to save this time with an outstretched boot.
Fernandes was operating as a false nine with Mason Mount in the centre while occasionally Marcus Rashford would cut in from a wide role.
The final chances of the half saw a deep corner from Diallo to the far post met by Casemiro’s head with such force that the ball bounced up off the pitch and over the bar.
United were doing everything to win a penalty in that first period but neither Diallo nor Harry Maguire’s claims were even worthy of second look.
The centre-back got a booking for a clear dive.
United kept up the pressure at the start of the second-half but when Ten Hag saw another chance come and go, with this time Mount denied by Leno, he turned to his bench.
On came Garnacho and enter too Zirkzee to try and turn all that good build up play into a goal.
The pair combined to do just that.
In the final minute of the match, Rashford was set clean through on goal after Calvin Bassey miscued a clearance.
Rather than opting to shoot, he squared the ball to Garnacho, but the pass to the Argentine was poor and left the 20-year-old shooting wide of the mark after failing to sort his feet out before his shot.
Erik ten Hag was welcomed back to the Old Trafford dugout for a third season.
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