Premier League: Zirkzee's Late Heroics Lift Manchester United Over Fulham

Joshua Zirkzee made an instant impact at Manchester United, scoring a late winner on his debut to secure a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Fulham at Old Trafford. The £35 million striker, newly signed from Bologna, came off the bench and delivered a brilliant flick on Alejandro Garnacho's cross with just three minutes left on the clock, sealing three points for Erik ten Hag’s side.

United, under the stewardship of Ten Hag for a third season and now backed by new co-owners Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS, kicked off their campaign with a win, but it was far from convincing. Fulham started strong, with Kenny Tete forcing a sharp save from Andrea Onana early on.

The Red Devils gradually found their footing in the first half, pressuring Fulham into mistakes. One such error saw goalkeeper Bernd Leno pass the ball straight to Casemiro, who set up Bruno Fernandes. However, Leno redeemed himself with a crucial save. Moments later, Leno denied Fernandes again from close range after a well-crafted United move.

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Leno continued his heroics after the break, keeping out a close-range effort from Mason Mount. Meanwhile, Onana had to be alert at the other end, tipping Rodrigo Muniz's deflected acrobatic volley over the bar.

With half an hour to go, Zirkzee made his debut, but initially, Fulham looked more threatening on the counter. Andreas Pereira squandered two promising opportunities on breaks led by Adama Traore, delivering wasteful passes.

Just when it seemed United might settle for a draw, Zirkzee came through in the clutch, turning in Garnacho's cross with his seventh touch of the match. His late goal spared Ten Hag’s blushes and brought a winning feeling back to Old Trafford at the start of the new season.

Ten Hag Praises Zirkzee's Impact

Speaking to Sky Sports, Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag said, "It showed that subs are very important. It's great in the first game to bring on a sub and he ends up winning us the game. It's good for the team process and the spirit of the group."

Ten Hag acknowledged the challenges of facing Fulham but praised his team’s pressing and chance creation, although he noted, "We should have scored earlier. That’s my only criticism."

Looking ahead, Ten Hag emphasized the importance of maintaining a solid defense, saying, "When we have our consistent back four, we will defend properly with a high line. Without a consistent back four, gaps appear."

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