Manchester United’s Premier League opener, fortunately, gave them the result their performance deserved after Joshua Zirkzee scored a late winner at Stretford End.
The 1-0 win flattered Fulham as United wasted numerous chances to make the scoreline more comfortable.
Many players impressed, with the likes of Casemiro continuing a late-career renaissance with another strong display, while Alejandro Garnacho made an impact off the bench for the second game running.
However, one player stood out for how much of a difference-maker he was from the first minute and he was singled out by MUTV pundits after the game.
Noussair Mazraoui shines on debut
United handed out three debuts on the night, with Zirkzee bagging the goal and the headlines, De Ligt the more marquee name, but it was Mazraoui who impressed from the first minute.
He was the only debutant to start and right away, he proved how big of an upgrade he can be on Aaron Wan-Bissaka, whose place he has taken.
The Moroccan looked comfortable and secure in both the boxes, with his early tackle to prevent Adama Traore from registering an assist particularly important.
After the game, MUTV pundits Danny Webber and Danny Simpson couldn’t stop raving about the right-back, calling his performance ‘outstanding’.
Webber said: “I thought Mazroaui’s performance was outstanding. on and off the ball from a defensive point of view, and he [showed he] had the courage and charisma to play for Manchester United. It was good to see.
Simpson added: “On the front foot, comfortably on the ball, he’s exactly what Ten Hag wants. overall his performance was really promising and it was a good sign”
Much needed upgrade
As good as Wan-Bissaka was at locking down the opposition winger who was directly up against him in matches, Mazraoui showed on his debut how big of an upgrade he could be.
Right off the bat, his crisp passing and understanding of angles to take while being pressed allowed United to be more comfortable in the buildup.
From there, he routinely switched between overlapping and underlapping as per the situation and how the game developed.
Even his understated defensive skills came to the fore in the game vs Fulham as he put his body on the line multiple times to save United.
Be it pushing the attacker out of the way or jockeying them away from the dangerous zones, he showed both facets of his game in a big way.
Of course, it’s still early days and Mazraoui will face much tougher opponents when the debut adrenaline will have worn off, but for now, it’s a great start to his United career and exactly what the club needs.
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