The Premier League season kicked off with excitement on Friday as Manchester United secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Fulham, thanks to a dramatic late goal from debutant Joshua Zirkzee. The Dutch striker, who joined United from Bologna for £26.5 million ($47 million) last month, made a significant impact despite only being fit enough for a 30-minute cameo.
Zirkzee’s decisive moment came in the 87th minute, when he rose to head Alejandro Garnacho’s cross into the net, sparing Manchester United from what could have been a disappointing result at Old Trafford. “To win here in my first home game and to grab a goal, it couldn’t be better,” said Zirkzee after the match. “I’ve been told scoring at the Stretford End is one of the best feelings at Manchester United. I’m so thankful and blessed I could experience it in my first game. It’s an amazing feeling.”
The victory was crucial for United and manager Erik ten Hag, who is coming off a mixed season. Although United finished seventh in the Premier League last year, they did secure an FA Cup win, which helped ten Hag retain his position. Despite the win, the performance mirrored many of the struggles from the previous season, raising questions about whether the victory over Manchester City in May could serve as a turning point for the team.
“I have seen many spaces where we have to improve but that is normal,” Ten Hag commented. “It (the win) is good to strengthen the belief.” With key players missing due to injury or lack of match fitness, Ten Hag had expressed concerns about his team’s readiness for the new season. His worries were evident in the game, particularly with the absence of Rasmus Hojlund, who was sidelined.
Bruno Fernandes was positioned as a center forward, while Zirkzee, who returned late from Euro 2024, started the match on the bench.
Noussair Mazraoui, newly arrived from Bayern Munich, was thrust into the starting lineup at left back, and Jadon Sancho, despite recent discussions, was left out of the starting eleven.
Fulham’s visit to Old Trafford was marked by a memorable upset in February of the previous year, when they defeated United for the first time in 20 years. This time, the visitors seemed composed early on, with Andre Onana making a key save to deny Kenny Tete’s dipping shot.
United’s performance improved after a sluggish start, but they struggled to convert their chances. Mason Mount, who had yet to score since his transfer from Chelsea, missed a couple of opportunities, with Fernandes also failing to find the back of the net.
Bernd Leno made an impressive save to deny Mount a rare goal. “We created a lot of chances and we should have scored earlier,” Ten Hag noted. “That is the only criticism of the team: kill in the box!”
As the match neared its end, Ten Hag turned to Garnacho and Zirkzee for a spark. Fulham almost capitalized on United’s vulnerability, with Alex Iwobi missing a chance to break through on goal due to a poor pass from Andreas Pereira. Lisandro Martinez also made a crucial clearance, preventing a goal from Pereira’s dangerous low cross.
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