Joshua Zirkzee netted the decisive goal in his Manchester United debut.
Getty Image by BBC
Manchester United found a satisfying balance as Joshua Zirkzee scored a late winner on his Premier League debut against Fulham at Old Trafford.
Twenty-three years earlier, another Dutch striker achieved the same feat for United against the same opponents.
Zirkzee Debut Sancho Uncertain While Zirkzee may not reach Ruud van Nistelrooy’s impressive tally of 150 goals over five seasons for the club, there was shared joy in his well-placed 87th-minute goal, especially since his fellow Dutchman has returned to United as part of Erik ten Hag’s coaching staff.
“It doesn’t matter if he’s Dutch, English, Russian, or South American,” said Ten Hag. “He’s a Man Utd player, and it’s fantastic for a striker to score his first goal.”
Zirkzee Debut Sancho Uncertain Ten Hag also mentioned the challenges faced by Rasmus Hojlund, his costly striker signing from last season, who took 15 Premier League games to finally score, against Aston Villa on Boxing Day.
“Remember last season when Rasmus scored his first goal [against Brighton in his second game on 16 September], and we had to wait for two minutes at the halfway line before VAR confirmed the ball crossed the [goal] line before the cross. It was very frustrating.”
Such fine margins can define major moments.
Zirkzee’s goal sent the vast majority of the packed stadium into a frenzy. The noise matched the anticipation surrounding the £36.5m signing from Italian club Bologna.
“I’ve been told [scoring at the Stretford End] is one of the best feelings at Man Utd,” he said. “I’m so thankful and blessed to experience it in my first game. It’s an amazing feeling.
“It’s been incredible, truly a dream come true.”
