Manchester United’s £36m new-boy Joshua Zirkzee became an instant Old Trafford hero as he scored an 87th-minute winner against Fulham.
The former Bologna forward came on with Alejandro Garnacho after an hour as United struggled to find a breakthrough against Marco Silva’s side.
And the pair combined in the nick of time as the Argentina winger crossed from the right and Zirkzee calmly steered the ball into the bottom corner in a hammer blow for Fulham.
After a slow start, during which Andre Onana tipped an early Kenny Tete effort over, it was United who had carried the greater threat.
But three times they were denied by superb saves from Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno.
Twice United skipper Bruno Fernandes was repelled, the second stop bringing yells of frustration from the Portuguese midfielder. The third time it was Mason Mount who only had Leno to beat as Marcus Rashford crossed from the left.
In front of co-chair Avie Glazer, who was making a rare visit to this stadium, and new chief executive Omar Berrada, Fernandes curled another effort straight at Leno.
United were not to be denied though. Erik ten Hag might have said his side were not ready for the game. But they still managed to win it.
Dutch delight
The euphoria that accompanied the final whistle was in keeping with the optimism that surrounded United in the build-up to the game.
Zirkzee took the acclaim in such a calm manner it was reminiscent of another Dutchman, who has returned to these parts, in Ruud van Nistelrooy, who is now a senior figure in Ten Hag’s coaching team.
The home supporters sang the ex-United and Netherlands striker’s name as he made his way to the dressing rooms, confirmation of the status he still has at the club.
If Zirkzee gets anywhere close to the 150 goals in five seasons Van Nistelrooy managed for United, he will have done extremely well.
As it is, just like the 23-year-old’s illustrious fellow countryman, he scored on his Premier League debut against Fulham.
Any late nerves at Old Trafford should have been eased by Garnacho but he somehow managed to fire wide after being set up by Rashford.
When the elation subsides thanks will also be due to Harry Maguire, who managed to intervene when former United midfielder Andreas Pereira looked certain to send Alex Iwobi through on Onana’s goal midway through the second period, when the game was still deadlocked.
Fulham frustrations
It will be a frustrating trip back to London for Silva, whose side started brightly and came so close to securing a point.
Given the home side had lost to three of their main Premier League rivals in pre-season, still didn’t have an orthodox left-back and started without a central striker, United’s pre-match optimism didn’t appear to be based on the firmest of foundations.
Fulham duly exposed United’s weaknesses and for the first quarter of the game carried by far the greater threat.
Tete might have gone closest for the visitors but their most potent attacking weapon was Adama Traore.
The former Middlesbrough and Wolves winger can be a frustrating figure. He is one of the fastest, most direct players in the game and because of that, he is a major danger. But too often, the threat he poses peters out into very little.
It was the same here. Traore flew into the box, got himself into the perfect position to cut the ball back to a team-mate, and allowed the pass to be intercepted by United debutant Noussair Mazraoui.
He was off target with a decent chance not long afterwards and when he attacked the home goal for a third time, Lisandro Martinez stepped in to simply ease him away from the ball.
This all meant Fulham failed to make the most of their best spell and once Pereira contrived to blow one chance and Martinez was then allowed to snuff out the danger from what was initially a four-on-two counter, they were always at risk of a nasty late surprise.
By BBC Sports
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