BREAKING NEWS:Erik Ten Hag is the core issue with this team, and I’ll continue to say so until the end. How can you bench a player of his caliber and choose to start someone as ineffective as this, Rio Ferdinand criticized Ten Hag for benching the £60 million Manchester United player despite their narrow victory today.

Manchester United will face Fulham at Old Trafford in the opening game of the 2024/25 Premier League season, with numerous uncertainties surrounding Erik ten Hag’s position as manager.

The Dutchman is under pressure to validate the club’s decision to retain him, particularly after a disappointing loss to Manchester City in the Community Shield. This defeat has cast doubts on his ability to lead the team successfully in the new season.

Following the loss, Manchester United secured the signings of Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui from Bayern Munich. However, concerns persist about the club’s transfer strategy and whether the summer window has adequately addressed the team’s significant issues.

Fulham, too, has had an uneven preseason. They suffered a setback with the departure of key midfielder Joao Palhinha to Bayern Munich but bolstered their squad by acquiring Emile Smith Rowe from Arsenal for a record fee.

During the match at Old Trafford, Erik ten Hag could be seen moving around the pitch with a sense of relief, acknowledging the fans despite knowing that his team had narrowly escaped with a win.

Fulham had dominated large portions of the second half and seemed more likely to score, but Joshua Zirkzee’s debut goal for Manchester United ultimately secured the victory in the closing moments.

As the match neared its end, Lisandro Martinez deliberately took his time over a throw-in, trying to maintain the slim lead. Earlier, Manchester United had missed a golden opportunity to extend their advantage.

Calvin Bassey’s mistake allowed Marcus Rashford to break free and pass the ball to Alejandro Garnacho. However, Garnacho, despite having a clear chance, failed to convert, mishandling the pass and squandering the opportunity.

Joshua Zirkzee’s goal on his Premier League debut proved to be the decisive moment of the match. The young striker played a crucial role in the buildup, dropping deep to assist his teammates before positioning himself inside the box.

When the cross arrived, Zirkzee showed great composure to redirect the ball past Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno, sparking late celebrations from the Old Trafford crowd. Thanks to Zirkzee’s late heroics, Manchester United emerged victorious.