Beaming from ear to ear, speaking to Joshua Zirkzee after his winning goal on debut in front of the Stretford End, the gravitas of what had just happened was clearly not lost on Manchester United’s new No 11.
However, his relaxed answers – from discussing taking his dog for a walk to what he was watching on Netflix – suggested taking a central role in Ineos’ red revolution is not going to be a daunting task.
Too young to have been completely wiped of personality during a major club’s media training, Zirkzee’s character matches his maverick playing style on the pitch.
Socks rolled down around his ankles just as Steve Claridge used to in his Leicester City pomp, the 23-year-old 6ft 4ins striker plays like a diminutive No 10 and out-and-out hitman rolled into one, a “9.5” in the Dutchman’s own words.
Zirkzee’s last-gasp rescue act to break Fulham hearts only consisted of 12 touches, in a variety of positions, but his seventh was telling – popping up with a finish that his mentor and new United assistant Ruud van Nistelrooy would have been proud of.
It was the very definition of a maverick’s impact, which is no bad thing in a team still desperately trying to find its way.
“I don’t really do much, I have my dog, I take him for a walk and sit in the house and watch a TV series, play PlayStation or do whatever,” Zirkzee said, through his infectious smile, following his dream United bow.
“At the moment, I’ve just finished The Umbrella Academy and it wasn’t too good of an ending but I enjoyed it, it was good.
“My role is probably what works best for the team, I’m a striker that’s comfortable coming in deep and helping the team play football, so it doesn’t really matter. This was my game in Italy and previously in Anderlecht, so that could be an option but if the manager needs me to do something else, I’m here.”
Hope for a brighter future was etched on the faces of supporters as they made their way to Old Trafford on a glorious Manchester Friday evening.
New signings unveiled on the pitch and new world-leading executives in the stands had Mancunian hearts beating like horses galloping across open fields pre-match. The sight of their most expensive capture Leny Yoro on crutches and public enemy No 1 Avram Glazer in the directors’ box did little to dampen spirits.
As the match got under way, the scale of the renovation reared its head once more as United struggled to break Fulham down.
With so much change afoot, more realistic supporters could have seen a stuttered performance like this coming. Last season’s chastening league campaign left the club restarting almost from scratch.
The only way is up from such depths, with figures like Zirkzee crucial to any hopes of revival. The talent is ostensibly clear for all to see, and he could not be in a better environment to thrive in a team desperate for a galvanizing figure, guided by his boyhood hero.
“It’s a privilege to have someone like that to work with,” Zirkzee said of his early experiences working with Van Nistelrooy, another Dutchman who netted on his Premier League debut against Fulham.
“As a striker, it’s not every day you have someone that you grew up with to learn from. But everybody in the staff up to now has been great and I enjoy working with these people a lot. It’s not just him, but obviously it’s an extra privilege.”
The bold and the new: two things any restoration project needs in its infancy. Van Nistelrooy is still regarded in the pantheon of United striking greats, with that Fulham debut two-goal salvo 23 years ago exposing wide-eyed supporters to arguably the greatest poacher the club has ever had.
Zirkzee is a very different proposition altogether. But with Rasmus Hojlund fulfilling the role of regulation penalty box predator, the pair could complement each other perfectly in Erik ten Hag’s 4-2-2-2 system.
For now, however, as Ten Hag and his team continue to define their identity, a different proposition is exactly what the doctor ordered.
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