After Anthony Martial's exit, United focused on acquiring a striker. Following an assessment of the transfer market, the Red Devils chose Bologna striker and Serie A young player of the season, Joshua Zirkzee, who had an impressive tally of 11 goals and 4 assists in a 34-game league campaign, to succeed the Frenchman.
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Erik Ten Hag chose to avoid placing pressure on the Dutchman by refraining from immediately including him in his lineup, allowing for a transition period instead. Well, Zirkzee did not start in United's first two matches; instead, he only received game time from the bench, which allowed him to adjust to the team and the demands of the Premier League.
The Zirkzee report card thus far:
The ex-Bayern Munich man scored in his first cameo appearance on PL Match Day 1, helping United secure a 1-0 victory over Fulham. He made another appearance against Brighton but failed to replicate his performance from the Fulham match.
He made his first start for United against Liverpool prior to the international break. He delivered an okay performance, yet it lacked inspiration; many believed he fell short of the expectations they had for him. Many wondered if he was truly the upgrade for United's attack after failing to score and missing two chances in that 3-0 defeat to Liverpool.
Just days after his subdued performance against Liverpool, Dutch manager Ronald Koeman opted to start him as the Netherlands took on Bosnia. The Manchester United striker seized the chance to quiet his critics, both scoring and assisting in the Dutch 5-2 triumph.
Many who watched him against Bosnia questioned why he had not excelled just days prior against Liverpool. Fabio Capello, the former manager of the England Three Lions, has indicated that Zirkzee's inability to adapt to the intensity of the Premier League is the reason for his lack of immediate success.
Capello told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera (via Football Italia): “I think he has the right pace to play in the Premier League, while I’ve noticed that Zirkzee is struggling because he thinks he can still play with Italian intensity.”
It is anticipated that the Dutch striker will build momentum and eventually adapt to the intensity of the Premier League. Indeed, he most certainly will.
With Hojlund still unavailable for the match against Southampton this weekend, Zirkzee is likely to take the lead once more. Scoring a goal and perhaps providing an assist against the Saints might serve as an excellent opportunity to announce himself in the PL, wouldn't you agree?