Joshua Zirkzee became an instant hero for Manchester United, scoring a late winner on his debut to secure a 1-0 victory over Fulham in the Premier League opener at Old Trafford.
Zirkzee, who joined from Bologna for £36.5 million last month, entered the match for the final 30 minutes, lacking full match fitness.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the Dutch international made his mark by netting the decisive goal in the 87th minute, converting a cross from Alejandro Garnacho.
Reflecting on his dream debut, Zirkzee said, “To win here in my first home game and to grab a goal, it couldn’t be better. Scoring at the Stretford End is an amazing feeling.”
United’s manager, Erik ten Hag, who narrowly kept his job after an underwhelming eighth-place finish last season despite winning the FA Cup, acknowledged the need for improvement.
“I have seen many spaces where we have to improve, but that is normal. This win strengthens our belief,” said Ten Hag.
The match saw Bruno Fernandes playing in a makeshift center-forward role due to injuries and lack of fitness among key players, including new signing Rasmus Hojlund. Noussair Mazraoui also made his debut at left-back after joining from Bayern Munich, while Jadon Sancho was notably absent from the squad.
![Zirkzee Man United Fulham](https://i0.wp.com/ekohotblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Manchester-United-1536x1032-1.jpeg?resize=775%2C521&ssl=1)
Fulham, who won at Old Trafford last season, started strong, with Andre Onana making a crucial save early on. Despite United’s slow start, they grew into the game, creating several chances, including a near-miss from Mason Mount.
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In the end, it was Zirkzee’s late intervention that saved the day for United, giving Ten Hag the winning start he needed as the team aims to build momentum for the season ahead.
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