It wasn’t plain sailing, but Manchester United kicked off their 2024/25 Premier League season with three points, courtesy of debutant Joshua Zirkzee‘s off-the-bench winner against Fulham late on.
The former Bologna forward, who signed in a £36.5m deal in July, netted in the 87th minute after driving Alejandro Garnacho’s cross home after a testing game far from the desired fluency and control for the Old Trafford hosts.
United, for now, perch atop the league table, and while there’s roughly 97% of the campaign still to play, there’s much to be excited about. Not everyone was up to scratch, however, with Mason Mount leaving much to be desired.
Mason Mount’s performance vs Fulham
Signed from Chelsea for a fee rising to £55m last summer, Mount endured a torrid time throughout the 2023/24 season, starting only five times in the top flight as he battled against mounds of injuries.
Having played just shy of an hour in the Red Devils’ Community Shield loss against Manchester City last week, the England international was rewarded with another starting berth.
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Man Utd 1-0 Fulham: Mason Mount’s Performance |
|
|---|---|
|
Statistic |
# |
|
Minutes played |
61′ |
|
Goals |
0 |
|
Assists |
0 |
|
Touches |
27 |
|
Shots taken |
1 |
|
Big chances missed |
1 |
|
Accurate passes |
11/15 (73%) |
|
Key passes |
2 |
|
Possession lost |
10x |
|
Dribbles completed |
0/2 |
|
Total duels won |
5/10 |
|
Yellow card |
1 |
|
Stats via Sofascore |
|
Journalist Joe Lyons commented that Mount “has to be up there with the poorest and most mind-boggling signings post-Fergie” following his travails in the Premier League curtain raiser, failing to grasp the opportunity and playing off the flow of the game before being hooked on the hour mark.
Mount did show glimpses of the quality that led United to fork out a hefty sum for his signature, but there is plenty to do after missing a glorious chance in the second half and failing to provide the complete performance that was so often on show at Stamford Bridge when he was at his best.
It’s not fair to heap all of the criticism on one man, who looked sharp in moments and will be expected to grow into his skin as the term progresses, but the £250k-per-week talent simply has to be better; he’s hardly nailed down a claim as an undisputed starter.
Neither has Marcus Rashford, for that matter.
Marcus Rashford has it all to prove
Throughout the 2022/23 campaign, Ten Hag’s first at the helm, Rashford was at his barnstorming best, plundering 30 goals and ten assists across all competitions and being lauded as “unstoppable” by his manager.
Last season told a bleaker tale, one of inconsistency and anonymity. Rashford only scored seven times in the league and performed at a portion of his former level.
This season, he simply has to restore that all-powerful attacking ability that sent the United faithful into rapture almost every week, and he failed his opening audition against the resilient Cottagers.
The Manchester Evening News’ Samuel Luckhurst wasn’t exactly scathing in his post-match comments, but he did echo an undertone of disappointment for a star who has it all to prove this year.
Handing Rashford a 5/10 match rating, he wrote: ‘Got on the ball plenty in the first half without threatening. Inadvertently played in Mount, who failed to convert from close range.’
Rashford was lively, displaying some of that electric and eager character that has earned him acclaim, but despite this, he was let down by his underlying numbers.
As per Sofascore, the winger failed with all five of his attempted dribbles and won only two of his eight contested duels – a success rate of just 25%.
He took 46 touches but also completed only one key pass, squandering possession on 16 occasions. Rashford must now hone his sharpness to ensure he reclaims his one-time undroppable status, but at present, that squad standing is anything but.
With Zirkzee introduced for Mount with 30 minutes to play, the versatile Dutchman has certainly staked an early claim for a regular starting role that would see Bruno Fernandes drop deeper.
Moreover, Rasmus Hojlund is currently injured and there are a host of wide forwards itching to impress themselves – with Garnacho also benched for the first league fixture of the year.
Rashord is a top-class player on his day, but such days need to be found with greater consistency to convince Ten Hag that he can be the talisman United need to reach new heights at the start of an exciting new era.
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