Debutant Joshua Zirkzee fires Manchester United past Fulham

Joshua Zirkzee spared Manchester United their blushes on the opening night of the 2024/25 Premier League season with an 87th minute strike to earn a hard-fought 1-0 win against Fulham at Old Trafford.

The goal came after Bruno Fernandes masterfully rolled his defender to set the hosts away, before the ball worked its way out wide to Casemiro. The seasoned midfielder then played in Alejandro Garnacho, and his first time cross was poked home by Zirkzee past a stubborn Bernd Leno to make the key difference.

The hosts controlled much of the ball in the first half, whilst Marco Silva's Fulham outfit remained rigid and compact, but if the first-half was one-sided, that was not the case for the second.

Both teams came bursting out of the blocks punching as they created countless openings in their bid to seize the opening goal of the Premier League season and both will feel they should be walking away with the points.

Mason Mount thought he had given the hosts the lead when Marcus Rashford broke away down the left wing to the Streford End and crossed to his compatriot, only for the ex-Chelsea star's shot to be blocked again by an inspired Leno.

Kobe Mainoo then fired narrowly wide and a dangerous cross by Garnacho narrowly evaded being turned home at the far-post before Zirkzee became the latest hero in red to send the home side to bed with all three points in the locker.

It should have been two when Rashford burst away down the wing and had just Garnacho to find. The English winger did but embarrassingly, his 20-year-old colleague slipped as he went to shoot with the goal gaping.

Fulham rue missed chances

Fulham had looked dangerous from corners but absolutely should have taken the lead when Rodrigo Muniz found himself and a teammate against Harry Maguire, but with the English centre-back only to beat the Brazilian passed straight to his feet.

They then had another great chance when they found themselves in a three-vs-two situation, but Iwobi's poor ball worked against them, before Lisandro Martinez turned a cross behind just evading a catastrophic own goal.

Despite the loss and disappointment, they can head back down to West London with their heads held high and plenty of encouragement for the remaining 37 games of the league season ahead.