Manchester United edged past Fulham 1-0 thanks to a late winner from debutant Joshua Zirkzee. The Red devils were creating chances but were struggling in the final third until the young lad rescued them. The 23 year old was brought on the pitch during the 61st minute earning his official debut for the club. The fans cheered him when he stepped on to the pitch for the first time.
He did not disappoint the fans as he latched onto a cross from Garnacho and put it in the back of the net in front of the Stretford end in the 89th minute. The Dutch lad has become the headlines of news outlets in Manchester. A new hero has arrived in town!
The youngster was linking up beautifully with the forwards and was a major threat for Fulham since he came on. His sharp predator like instincts helped him sense the goal and pounce in during the chaos. It has been some time since Man United have seen a striker so efficient inside the box. Roy Keane admired the 23 year old’s performance. It is not often he is seen praising players, it shows the potential Zirkzee has. He says;
“It was a brilliant finish, he was neat and tidy in the link up. United need to punish teams more but they were a threat and to score on your debut is huge. It was a lovely goal and for a new player to come to a club and score on your debut, it’s huge.”
Major improvements shown by the Red devils:
Manchester United are off the mark as they claim all 3 points from their opening matchday. The Red Devils were brilliant throughout the game, creating numerous chances. Erik Ten Hag’s men produced an xG of 2.44 against the Cottagers. Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno was brilliant as he thwarted Bruno Fernandez from scoring twice.
Defenders have shown major improvement from last season. Harry Maguire faced lots of criticism last year because of his poor performances. The Englishman was a wall against Fulham, he stopped a quick counter from Fulham when it was 3v1 against him. He was brilliant in buildup along with his center back partner Lisandro Martinez. Diego Dalot and Noussair Mazroui kept the Fulham attackers quiet throughout 90 minutes. A remarkable debut for the Moroccan.
Midfielders Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes were brilliant. They linked up well and created multiple chances for the attackers. The Brazilian was pushing higher up the pitch and was taking shots which is quite different from his role last season.
Marcus Rashford looks to be back in form. He was dangerous as he made runs in behind and was not afraid to take on defenders. He put the ball on the plate for Garnacho in the death, but the Argentine could not finish the sitter. The manager’s game management was brilliant as both his substitutes Joshua Zirkzee and Alejandro Garnacho combined together for the winner.
Ten Hag admired his team in the post match interview. He says;
“I’m happy with the squad and when we have this squad I am quite confident going into the new season.”
Uruguayan midfielder pushing for Manchester United move
Uruguayan midfielder Manuel Ugarte has been pushing for a move to Manchester United this season. The player feels he is not in PSG manager Luis Enrique’s plans and is desperate for a move. The Red Devils admire the youngster and are keen on signing him. The club officials are hatching plans to bring the midfielder to Old Trafford before deadline.
Casemiro was poor last season, and was criticised for not showing enough efforts. The manager wants to sign a new defensive anchor to provide competition for the Brazilian. According to reports by Football Insider, the French club is asking for a whopping £50m for the 23 year old. Manchester United and the players agents are hoping they could reach an agreement with Les Parisiens soon.
Manuel Ugarte is a warrior on the pitch. As a defensive midfielder, being aggressive is key. He is superb at winning aerial duels and winning possession from the opponents. He is considered one of the best ball winners at his young age. He excelled for Uruguay in the Copa America which has brought him into the radar of Erik Ten Hag. It will be a major boost for the Red Devils if they sign him this season to help them compete against the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal.
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