🦁 Zirkzee gets Man Utd off to winning start against Fulham

Joshua Zirkzee opened his account as Manchester United began the new Premier League season by snatching a late 1-0 win over Fulham.

Scorer: Zirkzee 87′

Erik ten Hag handed Noussair Mazraoui a first start for the hosts while the Cottagers also fielded summer arrival Emile Smith-Rowe.

Adama Traoré fashioned the earliest attempt at Old Trafford but fired off target after being teed up by Rodrigo Muniz in the penalty area.

The visitors continued to ramp up the pressure as Kenny Tete forced one-time Ajax teammate André Onana into a sprawling save with a long-range attempt.

Bruno Fernandes went closest to breaking the deadlock after an error from Bernd Leno gifted possession to Casemiro but the goalkeeper redeemed himself with a save.

Leno denied Fernandes for a second time just minutes later as he raced clear of the Fulham defence but failed to find a way past the German.

The Fulham stopper was called into action shortly after the interval to deny Mason Mount from close range as United continued to create chances.

Kobbie Mainoo dragged a shot narrowly wide of Leno’s righthand post from the edge of the box after being teed up by Mount.

Ten Hag handed Joshua Zirkzee his first United runout on the hour mark alongside Alejandro Garnacho as the pair replaced Mount and Amad Diallo.

But Onana was called into action next as he had acrobatically tip Muniz’s overhead kick over the crossbar after it took a deflection off Mainoo.

Andreas Pereira almost returned to haunt his old club on the counterattack but was denied by Lisandro Martínez’s sliding clearance.

Yet it was United who took the spoils late on through Zirkzee’s first goal after he met Garnacho’s cross from the righthand side.