Manchester United commenced their 2024/25 Premier League campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Fulham at Old Trafford on Friday evening.
While the result provided a positive start to the season, manager Erik ten Hag expressed significant concerns regarding his team’s inability to capitalize on scoring opportunities throughout the match.
The encounter, which marked the beginning of the English top-flight season, initially failed to meet the expectations of an optimistic Old Trafford crowd. The Red Devils struggled to create clear-cut chances for much of the game, and when opportunities did arise, they were frequently squandered. This pattern of play led to a palpable sense of frustration among supporters until substitute Joshua Zirkzee’s late intervention secured the three points on his debut.
In his post-match press conference, Ten Hag addressed the issue of wasted chances, identifying it as a critical area for improvement. “I think one area we have to get right is how to kill games in the box,” the Dutch manager stated. He drew parallels to similar issues observed during pre-season friendlies and the Community Shield loss to Manchester City, emphasizing that this is not an isolated incident.
When JZ found out why it's called the Theatre of Dreams 😍🔊#MUFC pic.twitter.com/fF4GFt9yx3
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Ten Hag elaborated on the team’s performance, saying, “We created enough chances and should not have to wait for a late winner. We have to be more composed and kill teams.” The manager speculated that the lack of clinical finishing might be attributed to the early stage of the season, with players still working towards peak fitness and form. However, he remained confident in the squad’s overall scoring potential, asserting, “We have enough players with scoring abilities.”
The match-winning goal came courtesy of Dutch forward Joshua Zirkzee, who made an immediate impact after coming off the bench. The summer signing from Bologna converted a cross from Alejandro Garnacho to break the deadlock and secure victory for the home side. Ten Hag praised Zirkzee’s contribution, noting that the player is still building up his fitness following an injury at the end of his tenure with Bologna.
“He has some attributes we didn’t have and straight away he showed it,” Ten Hag commented on Zirkzee’s performance. “He is very good in his linking up combinations. We have some very good ball-playing combinations in the team, but he has to arrive in the box to score goals, and he did that tonight.”
The manager’s remarks highlighted the positive aspects of Zirkzee’s debut while also setting expectations for the forward’s role in the team. “He is a Manchester United player, and it is very good for a striker coming in and scoring his first goal,” Ten Hag added, underlining the importance of making an immediate impact.
Despite the victory, the match exposed areas of concern for Manchester United as they embark on their Premier League campaign. The team’s struggle to convert chances into goals is a issue that Ten Hag and his coaching staff will need to address promptly. With a long season ahead and aspirations of challenging for silverware, improving their efficiency in front of goal will be crucial to United’s success.
The narrow win against Fulham serves as both a positive start to the season and a reminder of the work that lies ahead for Manchester United. As Ten Hag continues to shape the team in his image, finding solutions to their finishing woes will be a top priority. The introduction of new signings like Zirkzee may provide fresh options, but it is clear that the entire squad will need to contribute to resolving this issue.
As the Premier League season unfolds, all eyes will be on Manchester United to see how they address these concerns and whether they can build on this opening day victory to mount a serious challenge for top honors. The coming weeks will be crucial as Ten Hag works to fine-tune his team’s performance and instill the clinical edge that was largely absent in their season opener.
