Five Things We Learned From Manchester United vs Fulham
Manchester United beat Fulham at Old Trafford on Friday night in a fixture that played out in stark contrast to the opening day of last season against Wolves. United conceded very few clear cut chances and promisingly allowed a lot fewer transitional moments within the game, an issue that was ripe last season under Erik ten Hag.
The pressing structure was a lot better, especially with the added physicality in the midfield, particularly Mason Mount, which allowed United to gain a level of control within a match in the Premier League we perhaps haven’t seen since his first season at the helm when they finished third. We take a look below at the key factors that contributed to the win.
Five Things We Learned: United vs Fulham
1: Mason Mount Could Be Vital
Until Manchester United buy a new number six, Mason Mount may be undroppable. United’s press, especially in the first half, was immaculate. The physicality and pace of the press caused Fulham a lot of issues, allowing United to effectively camp within the Fulham half for large parts of the first-half. Mount was a key component in this, leading the press forward at times and causing mistakes from Calvin Bassey and Berndt Leno.
Mount is undroppable within that setup until United sign Manuel Ugarte. His urgency allows Casemiro to have less of a physical role in the midfield, which helps conserve the energy of the Brazilian and bring out more of the positive sides of his game. The club has identified Ugarte as someone who can match Mount’s output in a physical capacity, but until then, the former Chelsea man has to be a key component in the United midfield, or even up front if Erik ten Hag wants to persist with the 4-2-2-2 formation.
2: Harry Maguire Can Play In A High Line
A myth that has circulated longer than the Greek gods. Many have suggested over the years that Harry Maguire can’t play in a high line, but the English defender proved he can yet again against Fulham. His ability to step into midfield and win the ball on the ground, as well as his clear dominance over anyone else on the pitch aerially, was a key reason for United gaining the control they did over Fulham in both halves.
On more than five occasions Maguire wrestled with either Muniz or Iwobi on the halfway line and sprung a United attack going the other way, in a performance that signifies the true depth Erik ten Hag now has at his disposal in the central defensive area. If Maguire can stay fit, and Leny Yoro can get back from his injury soon enough, United’s defensive options are amongst the very best in the division.
3: Noussair Mazraoui Is Class
The Moroccan plain and simpy oozed class in his first game for United. Aaron Wan-Bissaka was a quality defender for the club in so many ways, but he could never offer the technical quality Mazraoui exhibited against Fulham.
His ability to step into midfield and deliver a disguised ball into central areas with his weaker foot is going to be a major area of importance for the Red’s this season, especially when finding players like Bruno Fernandes in those all-important half-space areas to create chances for the strikers.
Mazraoui looks like the ultimate bargain at around £15m, and again, if United can keep him fit, top four should not be something that’s viewed as out of their grasp.
4: Diogo Dalot Can Do It All
There was a time when United fan’s doubted Diogo Dalot. That time is no more. The Portuguese defender can do it all. Erik ten Hag has pushed the responsibility of inverting the former Porto man into midfield to aid build up at times for his side, and even from his unfamiliar birth at left-full back, Dalot is able to do it with seamless difficulty.
His defensive work has shot up tenfold, his availability in possession is of utmost importance, and speaking of importance, his value in this Manchester United side cannot and should not be underestimated. If Luke Shaw can’t stay fit this season, the club have an able deputy at left-full-back in the shape of their other Portuguese magnifico.
5: Zirkzee Has ‘IT’.
People have lamented the Dutchness of Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United, but Joshua Zirkzee being the fourth Manchester United striker to score on their debut for the club has an awfully potent ring to it. Zirkzee is a facilitator. He is Firmino esque in his ability to keep things ticking, and make the player’s around him better while also adding calmness and class to the attack. His ability to drop deep is exactly what Erik ten Hag has been trying to perfect with Bruno Fernandes in the False 9, but Zirkzee just adds a more physically capable dimension to the role.
His intelligence to drop deep, recycle, and move for his goal, checked in with his arrival into the box, along with the deftness of that flick with his toe into the bottom corner should fill Manchester United fans with a true sense of optimism for the season. The Dutch connection may not be something to run from, instead, maybe we should run towards it with open hands.
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