Joshua Zirkzee announced his arrival at Manchester United in dramatic fashion, scoring a late winner on his debut to secure a 1-0 victory over Fulham in the opening match of the Premier League season. The 22-year-old Dutch forward, who joined the Red Devils from Bologna for £36.5 million ($47 million) last month, came off the bench for the final half-hour and made an instant impact, rescuing United from what had been a frustrating evening at Old Trafford.
Zirkzee’s match-winner came in the 87th minute when he managed to poke home a cross from Alejandro Garnacho, sending the home fans into raptures. It was a moment of relief for United, who had struggled to break down a resolute Fulham defense for much of the game.
United manager Erik ten Hag had acknowledged before the match that his team was not fully prepared for the new campaign, with several key players missing due to injury or lack of match fitness. This was evident in United’s performance, which bore a striking resemblance to many of their struggles from the previous season. Despite finishing eighth in the Premier League last season, Ten Hag managed to keep his job largely thanks to United’s shock FA Cup victory over rivals Manchester City in May. Whether that cup triumph could serve as a springboard for greater success this season remains to be seen, but the team’s lackluster display against Fulham raised questions about their readiness for the challenges ahead.
Bruno Fernandes was deployed in an unfamiliar center-forward role in the absence of Rasmus Hojlund, who was sidelined with an injury. Meanwhile, Zirkzee started on the bench, having only recently returned to training following his participation in Euro 2024 with the Netherlands. Another new signing, Noussair Mazraoui, was thrust straight into the starting lineup at left-back after completing his move from Bayern Munich earlier in the week. However, there was no place in the squad for Jadon Sancho, despite reports that he and Ten Hag had resolved their differences following a public fallout last season.
Fulham, who had ended a 20-year winless streak at Old Trafford with a victory there last February, started the match with confidence. In the opening 20 minutes, the visitors looked the more likely to score, with Andre Onana forced into a smart save to tip Kenny Tete’s dipping effort over the bar.
United had their chances, too, largely thanks to some sloppy play from Fulham. Casemiro, who had a mixed campaign last season, showed signs of returning to his best form, capitalizing on a poor pass from Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno to set up Fernandes. However, the United captain could only shoot straight at Leno, squandering the opportunity.
Casemiro continued to be United’s most creative outlet, threading a perfect through ball to Fernandes once again, but the Portuguese midfielder was denied by Leno in a one-on-one situation. United’s failure to convert chances continued to haunt them after the break. Mason Mount, who has struggled to find the net since his move from Chelsea just over a year ago, saw his close-range effort brilliantly saved by Leno, further frustrating the home side.
With time running out, Ten Hag turned to his bench, bringing on Garnacho and Zirkzee in search of a breakthrough. The move nearly backfired, as Fulham came close to snatching a late winner themselves. Andreas Pereira, a former United player, wasted a golden opportunity to send Alex Iwobi clean through on goal with a poor pass. Moments later, Lisandro Martinez had to make a crucial clearance to prevent Pereira’s low cross from finding a Fulham player in the box.
But it was United who eventually found the decisive goal. Garnacho’s cross from the right was not the most accurate, but Zirkzee showed his poacher’s instinct, getting just enough of a touch to divert the ball beyond Leno and into the far corner of the net. The relief inside Old Trafford was palpable, as United had been staring down the barrel of a disappointing opening day draw.
In stoppage time, United had the chance to put the game to bed when Marcus Rashford, had possession of the ball moving forward but passed the ball Garnacho with the goal at his mercy. However, the young Argentine somehow skewed his shot wide, letting Fulham off the hook. Despite that United secure their three point and move onto their next game against Brighton & Hove Albion.
