JOSHUA ZIRKZEE’S Manchester United career looked to be over before it had even begun.
News that he arrived a stone overweight and was not even wanted by previous manager Erik ten Hag was backed up by his performances.
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A goal on his debut against Fulham promised much but a drought of 17 games without one delivered little.
Even on Sunday, the groans started to grow with his every touch.
Then the 23-year-old Dutchman came to life and showed perhaps why the Ineos team at United decided £36.5million might be a good investment.
Two goals of his own and a superb turn and lay-off to help in Marcus Rashford’s second put him among the contenders for man of the match as Manchester United ran out 4-0 winners over relegation-threatened Everton.
Zirkzee was understandably delighted with his afternoon’s work, saying: “Obviously the longer it takes before you get back on the scoresheet the more frustrating it gets.
“But I have some great team-mates who always keep my head up as well when I’m not keeping it up.
“They helped me a lot during that time so they were happy for me.”
Zirkzee played in a front three with Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes but tends to drop back a little.
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He arrived not as a straight-out number nine but as someone who operates partly as a ten because he likes to get involved in the build-up play.
He said: “I felt comfortable today in the role I was in. Of course, the goal helps as well for a striker.”
Rashford is certainly enjoying the new 3-4-3 formation and looked revived on Sunday.
Amorim said the 27-year-old has to “want it” if he is going to get back to the sort of form that saw him post career-best figures of 30 goals two seasons ago, and he certainly looked like he wanted it against Everton.
He is clearly enjoying the new tactics and ideas under Amorim.
Rashford said: “It is encouraging and fun for us to try something new.
“We feel like we can get a lot stronger in this formation as well but also for other teams we have not played this system before.
“No one knows what to expect really from us and it puts us in the perfect position. We can change a lot and set up different for different teams.”
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The atmosphere inside Old Trafford suggests the fans are happy with what the new boss is doing, too.
Rashford said: “It is exciting and I don’t want to get carried away, but the energy is what we want from Old Trafford.”
It was a second consecutive win for United and marked seven goals in four days following the 3-2 defeat of Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League in midweek.
The problems in front of goal look to have gone too with each of Zirkzee, Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund getting a pair a piece in the last two games.
Rashford also scored inside 80 seconds in Amorim’s opening game, a 1-1 draw at Ipswich.
For Zirkzee the return to form after struggles this season under Ten Hag shows the strength of character that lies within the squad.
He said: “Hard times create strong people and strong people bond. I think that’s what’s happening now.
“The most important thing is that we keep going.”
However, the next test will be far tougher than Sunday’s, with a trip to second place Arsenal on Wednesday night.
They will face the Gunners without fit again Kobbie Mainoo and Lisandro Martinez both of whom picked up their fifth bookings of the season on Sunday and so will be suspended for one game.
Man Utd ratings vs Everton as Zirkzee answers his critics in style… but one midfielder struggles
RUBEN AMORIM celebrated his first Premier League game at Old Trafford with a stunning 4-0 victory over Everton.
Marcus Rashford and Joshua Zirkzee shook off questions over their recent form with two each at a thrilled Old Trafford – as the Red Devils won a Prem game by four goals or more since the opening day of the 2021-22 season.
Here’s how SunSport’s Ken Lawrence rated the Red Devils…
ANDRE ONANA – 6
Called into action early and showed growing his growing composure as No 1.
NOUSSAIR MAZROUI – 6
Has rapidly become one of the United faithful’s favourites doing himself no harm again.
MATTHIJS DE LIGT – 6
Stretched at first by bustling Beto but beginning to look like he’s settling down in a back three.
LISANDRO MARTINEZ – 6
Once again looking like the master and commander of the United rearguard.
AMAD DIALLO – 8
Went from wasteful to the plundering terror of centre backs Branthwaite and Tarkowski.
KOBBIE MAINOO – 6
Quiet, calm, controlled, no panic, no loss of possession, no problem for the midfielder.
CASEMIRO – 5
Looked like his lack of pace might be a problem again in central midfield but ground it out.
DIOGO DALOT – 6
Enjoying life in his new left-side forward role and didn’t really put a foot wrong.
JOSHUA ZIRKZEE – 8
Transformed himself from headless chicken to tripling his whole United tally with two clinical strikes.
MARCUS RASHFORD – 9
Ruben Amorim has gone out of his way to big up the front man and he’s responding in style.
BRUNO FERNANDES – 6
Wasteful for a while but got his head down to have a real influence by the end.
SUBS
LUKE SHAW (Mazraoui 56) – 5
Comfortably easing himself back.
HARRY MAGUIRE (de Ligt 56) – 5
Looked happy to be out there.
ALEJANDRO GARNACHO (Fernandes 66) – 5
Got bustling off the bench.
MANUEL UGARTE (Casemiro 66) – 5
Will be wanting more minutes than this.
MASON MOUNT (Mainoo 80) – 5
Sharp and up for it.
