There was a pleasing symmetry for Manchester United in Joshua Zirkzee scoring a late winner on his Premier League debut against Fulham at Old Trafford.
Twenty-three years earlier, another Dutch forward did the same thing for United against the same opponents.
Zirkzee may not get close to Ruud van Nistelrooy’s 150 goals in five seasons for the club but given his fellow countryman has returned to United as manager Erik ten Hag’s coaching assistant, there was shared delight in his smartly taken 87th-minute effort.
“It doesn’t matter if he is Dutch or English or Russian or South American,” said Ten Hag. “It is Man Utd. He is a Man Utd player and it is very good for a striker to come in and score his first goal.”
Ten Hag referenced the struggles of Rasmus Hojlund, his big money striking purchase last season, who was 15 games into his Premier League career before he finally found the net, against Aston Villa on Boxing Day.
“Remember last season when Rasmus scored a first goal [against Brighton in his second game on 16 September] and we wait on the halfway line for two minutes before VAR decided the ball was over the [goal] line [before the cross]. It was very frustrating.”
On such fine margins can major moments turn.
Zirkzee’s goal sent the vast majority of a capacity crowd into raptures. The noise did justice to the build-up the £36.5m signing from Italian side Bologna had been given.
“I’ve been told [scoring at the Stretford End] it’s one of the best feelings at Man Utd,” he said. “I’m so thankful and blessed I could experience it in my first game. It’s an amazing feeling.
“It’s been amazing, it’s been a dream actually.”
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