London, Aug 17 (AP): Joshua Zirkzee marked his debut for Manchester United by coming off the bench and scoring an 87th-minute goal to give his team a 1-0 victory over Fulham on the opening night of the Premier League season on Friday.
The Netherlands striker poked out his left foot to guide home a cross by fellow substitute Alejandro Garnacho at Old Trafford.
Zirkzee, who joined from Bologna for a reported $47 million last month, was one of three offseason signings to make their first appearances for United, along with defenders Noussair Mazraoui and Matthijs de Ligt.
“To win here in my first home game, and to grab a goal, it couldn’t be better,” Zirkzee said.
Zirkzee, Mazraoui and De Ligt have arrived as part of a $180 million spending spree by the record 20-time champions, a club under new leadership and looking to return to its former glories. Erik ten Hag was retained as manager despite guiding United to an eighth-place finish last season and this was a solid, if unspectacular, start to the campaign by his team.
“It’s just the first game, but it’s good to strengthen the belief and confidence in the team,” Ten Hag said. “I have seen the places where we need to improve. But that’s normal in the first game of the season.”
With Zirkzee not fully match sharp and Rasmus Hojlund injured, United started the season without an out-and-out striker on the field and it showed, with midfielders Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount wasting the best opportunities in a game that was petering out before Zirkzee’s late intervention.
Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno came to his team’s rescue, saving twice at the feet of Fernandes in one-on-one chances then getting down sharply to deny Mount from close range in the second half.
Leno had no chance with Zirkzee’s shot in front of the Stretford End, however, and Garnacho squandered a great chance to make it 2-0 in stoppage time when he dragged a shot wide in front of an empty goal.
“That’s the only criticism I have of the team,” Ten Hag said. “To kill. Kill in the box.”
Mazraoui played 81 minutes at right back — and was one of United’s better players, along with Casemiro — before being replaced by De Ligt, three days after they both joined from Bayern Munich. Zirkzee entered in the 61st.
On Saturday, there are six more games in the league’s first round, including Liverpool — under a new manager in Arne Slot — at promoted Ipswich and Arsenal — the runner-up in the last two seasons — hosting Wolverhampton.
Reigning champion Manchester City begins its title defense at Chelsea on Sunday. #premierleague
