Old Trafford, Aug 17: A dramatic late goal by new signing Joshua Zirkzee secured Manchester United a tense 1-0 win over Fulham in their Premier League season opener at Old Trafford on Friday. The Dutch forward, who came on as a substitute, struck three minutes before the end to give United a winning start to the season.
The atmosphere at Old Trafford was electric, with home fans optimistic about the new season. The unveiling of four new players and the presence of new board members added to the excitement. However, United struggled to break down Fulham’s defense in the first half, with captain Bruno Fernandes coming closest to scoring.
After the break, frustrations mounted as United continued to find it difficult to create clear chances. It wasn’t until Zirkzee, a late substitute, connected with a pass from Alejandro Garnacho that United found the breakthrough.
Zirkzee expressed his delight after the match, saying, “To win here in my first home game and to grab a goal, it couldn’t be better. I’ve been told that scoring at the Stretford End is one of the best feelings at Man United. I’m so thankful and blessed I could experience it in my first game. It’s an amazing feeling.”
The win is a positive start for United, who have not won a Premier League title since 2013. After addressing key areas in the transfer market, fans are hopeful for a better finish this season than last year’s eighth place.
However, despite the victory, manager Erik ten Hag acknowledged that there is still work to be done. “Subs are always important and it was good to see in the first game that you bring a sub on and he scores the winner,” Ten Hag said. “We defended and pressed very well, but we should have scored earlier. That is the only criticism of the team – kill in the box.”
Fulham manager Marco Silva was disappointed with the outcome, stating, “It is really tough for us to lose this game the way we lost. We started really well, but Manchester United responded after 20 minutes. We had moments where we could have punished them, but we didn’t.”
The victory adds to United’s record of having more wins and points from their opening Premier League games than any other team, but the performance suggests there is still much to improve.