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Manchester United were made to wait till the 87th minute but eventually ran out 1-0 winners against Fulham in the Premier League’s opening game on Friday.
New signing Joshua Zirkzee came on for his debut in the second-half and scored a clever winner after the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount had spurned glorious chances.
Ruud van Nistelrooy will have a lot to work on while the new false nine system has meant a lot of ball possession but a lack of cutting edge upfront.
Another debutant who starred on the night was Noussair Mazraoui, who also made his debut and played 81 minutes as the new right-back.
Impressive debut from Mazraoui
There were immediate changes as the team relied on the Moroccan while playing out from the back and he was very comfortable with the ball at his feet as compared to Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
He had 55 touches of the ball as his teammates constantly passed to him even when he was being put under pressure, something he seems to relish.
Noussair Mazraoui’s Premier League debut by numbers:
92% pass accuracy
7 passes into the final third
5 ball recoveries
3 ground duels contested
3 ground duels won
3 interceptions
2 tackles attempted
2 tackles won
2 clearancesEncouraging. 🙌 pic.twitter.com/BqnlQtehc5
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) August 16, 2024
He was extremely press resistant, hardly losing the ball and always managing to find a teammate even when under pressure.
He completed an impressive seven final third passes, which highlights why Erik ten Hag opted to bring him in (all stats via sofascore).
The former Bayern Munich star ended the game with a passing accuracy rate of 92 percent and successfully found a teammate with 35 out of 38 passes.
All-round good show
Most people knew he would excel going forward but whether he can hack it at the back was the main question. And he equated himself well in defence against the Cottagers under the lights.
The former Ajax ace won six out of seven duels while also winning one foul. The 26-year-old also made two clearances while completing three interceptions.
He inverted into midfield when needed and brings a different dimension to the team’s build-up play from the back, something the manager will be keen to utilise as the season wears on.
Tougher opponents lie in wait but the debutant will have impressed the Old Trafford faithful who will be expecting more from the Morrocco international in the days to come.
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