. But it was Joshua Zirkzee who was the game-changer against Southampton. What a difference from the last time he was on the pitch at Old Trafford just 17 days ago.
to Newcastle United.
There had been only 33 minutes played against Newcastle and it felt like Zirkzee was the focus of years of pent-up frustration and emblematic of, again, United’s wastefulness in the transfer market. He was humiliated.
in a maddeningly disjointed squad and with the January transfer window opening there was a natural assumption that he would quickly be shipped out. And that he would want to get out.
An escape back to Italy, to join Juventus or Napoli, having prospered at Bologna, was mooted. The Italian giants wanted Zirkzee and no one would blame him for making his hasty getaway. But the message came back that he intended to stay at United. And he wanted to fight.
at Arsenal only last Sunday.
Having come off the bench in the 80th minute, and played extra time, it was agreed that Zirkzee would take the fifth spot-kick. As he walked towards the goal at the Emirates there was a collective intake of breath. Score and he wins the tie for United. Miss and… well, that was cruelly unimaginable. Surely he was finished. It would have confirmed his confidence was drained and there would be no way back.
Zirkzee scored and there were other moments during that game which showed how resilient his belief remained – such as a double ‘nutmeg’ on Arsenal defender William Saliba. And also showed that he has plenty of character and judgments can be cruelly premature.
Here he was back among the substitutes and was warmly welcomed by the Stretford End as he warmed up. Eventually Zirkzee replaced Rasmus Hojlund after 53 minutes with the Dane raising his eyes to the heavens and looking shellshocked after how stunningly ineffective he had been.
Zirkzee had 22 touches, created two chances and – more importantly – he helped push United up the pitch and seize the initiative when they had performed so appallingly up until then and were fortunate not to be further behind.
Most crucially of all he pressed from the front and occupied the central defenders which is usually something Hojlund is so good at. His hold-up play and skill on the ball is eye-catching and there was immediately more of a threat in the final third. Zirkzee can also pick a pass. What a player he would be, in fact, if he was only a bit quicker.
Hojlund has that pace but he looks desperately in need of a rest with Zirkzee now deserving of a start for Sunday’s fixture at home to Brighton & Hove Albion. That would cap his rapid comeback.
Zirkzee has talked about being a 9.5, a false striker, not a No 10 or a No 9, but on this evidence he has to directly challenge Hojlund as United’s starting No 9 when it appeared, not so long ago, that it would not even be a contest.
And so the wheel turns with Hojlund incurring the anger and frustration of United fans who will know that their team got away with this one and with Amorim’s selections being questioned. Feeling he had to substitute his central midfield pairing of Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte was damning of how they played while it was a torrid evening for Leny Yoro in the back-three. Amorim even accused his midfielders of lacking “enthusiasm”.
The problem for Hojlund is that he has been given countless opportunities and the coaching verdict on the 21-year-old is that he has a “high ceiling” (i.e. he is full of potential) but there comes a time when if you are United’s No 9 you have to deliver. He has seven goals in 25 appearances this season. But only two in the Premier League.
Despite his cameo, Zirkzee is unlikely to be the answer – he only has four goals – but with this outstanding show of courage he demonstrated that he is not the problem and that, actually, he has a future at United when all appeared lost. What a turnaround. How the game can change.
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