A low cross from the right and a left-footed touch from a new signing. In an instant a game was won and a night transformed. Welcome to Manchester United Joshua Zirkee.
For 87 minutes, United had put in another performance that had been pulled from the vaults of last season. Some highlights and some shadows, but nothing that had been consistently impressive or good enough. Manager Erik ten Hag had said his team were not ready for the new season and risked being proven right. Had there been a draw, the spirit of last season would have returned.
But if United’s new football department has tried to do anything this summer it has been to add depth to Ten Hag’s squad. Zirkee is a 23-year-old Dutch striker signed from Bologna and, although he started the night among the substitutes, he emerged to offer the kind of impact we all dreamed of as schoolboys.
United had not been that bad up until then. Not at all. Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno had denied them a goal on several occasions. Bruno Fernandes twice in the first half. Mason Mount early in the second.
They had also been unable to find the fluidity and control needed to defeat a Fulham side that had arrived in Manchester sensing opportunities.
Joshua Zirkzee scored on his Manchester United debut to secure a 1-0 win over Fulham
Zirkzee received Alejandro Garnacho’s low cross and coolly headed it into the back of the net to seal the three points
Erik ten Hag’s side looked to be heading for a draw after a series of major errors in the game.
Bruno Fernandes was among those responsible for missing big chances for United on Friday
Alejandro Garnacho made a tremendous mistake with the goal open that would have meant 2-0
Ruud van Nistelrooy reassures Garnacho after his mistake at the final whistle
In fact, United had faded noticeably as the second half progressed. Fulham had been a threat. There were some nerves at this famous old stadium as Fulham created and then wasted a couple of very good counter-attacking chances.
But when another substitute, Alejandro Garnacho, crossed low and hopefully three minutes from time, Zirkee applied subtle and almost perfect touch to the ball to guide it over Leno and into the far corner of the Stretford End.
There was a momentary pause. The ball had entered the net rather slowly, but when players on both sides realised it, they fell to their knees. Zirkee had won the match with a moment of genuine calm and quality and both teams knew it. As he prepared to leave the field after the final whistle, Zirkee embraced a renowned former Dutch striker, United assistant coach Ruud van Nistelrooy. Match meets match, as they say.
So United and Ten Hag have a win to start the season and, as much as the manager likes to convey a sense of calm, he will know exactly what that means. His side visit Brighton next Saturday at lunchtime and that game will already feel a little less daunting.
In this case, their squad featured some new faces, some old faces who may not have much time left at the club and also some who were looking to make the most of their fresh starts. Marcus Rashford and Mason Mount were in the latter category, though another who would have liked to be here was not.
United missed a series of golden opportunities when captain Fernandes was deflected off by Bernd Leno
Fernandes deflected a weak shot with the outside of his boot, forcing Leno into a save.
Jadon Sancho, who was said to have made peace with Ten Hag after last season’s disappointment, was not in the squad.
For the first 20 minutes, Fulham were the better team. They enjoyed possession, were better prepared and created a couple of good chances. Once again, United were forced to play mainly on the counterattack.
Fulham winger Adama Traore broke away down the right a couple of times and also fired high. Centre-forward Rodrigo Muniz headed a corner into the box. Meanwhile, in the 13th minute, Kenny Tete broke through and made a fine save from Andre Onana with a curling shot from 25 yards.
United looked vulnerable and deficient. When they tried to press Fulham with possession, they failed to do so as a team. As a result, they were too easy to outplay. But they did improve and had a very good 20 minutes before the break, and Fernandes should have scored twice in the space of six minutes.
Fulham goalkeeper Leno laid off the ball to a rather thin-looking Casemiro in the 29th minute and he redeemed himself by blocking the ball away from United captain Fernandes with his body. Shortly afterwards, Casemiro made a spectacular first-time move to pass the ball to Fernandes and this time Leno saved it with his left foot.
United seemed to have found the key to Fulham’s door, if not the lock. Early in the second half, Fernandes, playing as a false nine, dropped back to free Rashford and, when he played the ball inside to Mount, Leno again proved he was too difficult to beat.
Mason Mount came close to opening the scoring with a shot that was also blocked by Leno.
Fulham threatened in the second half and Rodrigo Muniz’s acrobatic shot was deflected wide
Ten Hag’s side were prepared and Old Trafford looked set to cheer them on throughout the game. Zirkee and Garnacho came on in the 60th minute and it looked like a smart move. But then United lost their resolve and momentum once again.
For much of the rest of the evening, Fulham looked the more likely team to score. Casemiro had been outstanding during his side’s best moments, but his form faded.
Once again, United lacked control and Fulham could have taken the lead had they not made poor decisions on the counterattack.
Former United player Andreas Pereira criminally wasted a chance to clear Alex Iwobi and then a run from Traore allowed Pereira to cross and United defender Lisandro Martinez cleared from under the shadow of his own crossbar.
It had not been a high-quality match, but it was no less exciting. In added time, Garnacho shot wide in an almost comical way.
On this occasion, the only thing that was lost was pride. There always seems to be an element of risk when United play and that makes them worth watching, albeit sometimes for the wrong reasons.
Andre Onana dived to the ground to pick up a loose ball in a tense finale at Old Trafford
Substitute Garnacho somehow sent the ball wide of the target during stoppage time
We hope they improve from now on. They have a deeper team.
But questions will remain until we start to see discernible patterns of football and a clear signal of how Ten Hag really intends to play.
Here they looked different in some ways, but also quite recognizable. However, they have a new hero for a week and for now, they will accept it.
