Erik Ten Hag is the real problem of this team and I will keep saying it till my last breath,How can you have a player of His class on bench and decide to start this calamity player”, Rio Ferdinand blast Ten Hag for Benching £60m man united player today despite their narrow win

admin_403zj633August 16, 2024Last Updated: August 16, 2024

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Manchester United host Fulham at Old Trafford in the opening game of the 2024/25 Premier League season, with plenty of questions still hanging over Erik ten Hag. The Dutchman is looking to justify the board’s decision to keep him on as manager, though a loss in the Community Shield to Manchester City was not a good first step in trying to do so.

The Red Devils have signed Bayern Munich’s Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui since that loss, but questions remain over transfer targets and whether this window has been good enough to fix some of the glaring problems at the club. And Fulham have had a similarly mixed preseason, losing talismanic midfielder Joao Palhinha to Bayern Munich but signing Arsenal’s Emile Smith Rowe for a club record fee.

Erik ten Hag stomps around the Old Trafford pitch slapping hands with the look of a man who knows his side got a little lucky tonight. Fulham had the better of large periods in that second half and looked the likelier side to break the deadlock, but up popped Joshua Zirkzee with a debut goal to pinch the points late on.

A minute more to come at Old Trafford. Lisandro Martinez takes his time over a throw, as well he might.

How have Manchester United squandered that chance? Calvin Bassey completely miskicks to let Marcus Rashford in the front door, and Alejandro Garnacho seems to simply have to sweep home as Rashford squares it. But the pass forces Garnacho to check, and he makes a total hash of his effort with goal agape!

Joshua Zirkzee finds an opener on Premier League debut!

A huge moment for Manchester United’s new striker! He’s involved in the build-up, dropping deep to create an option and then sending a couple of teammates on up the right. Into the box he drifts, not, perhaps, expecting the cross to find him in a slightly withdrawn position but having the presence of mind to open his left boot as it comes towards him.

His diversion beats Bernd Leno to his right as a crowd growing restless find late life. Manchester United lead!