Manchester United supporters voiced their dissatisfaction with one player’s lackluster showing during the initial half of the Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur.
The Spurs caught United off guard early at Old Trafford, with Brennan Johnson scoring in the third minute to put the visitors ahead 1-0 at halftime.
Throughout the match, the Red Devils faced difficulties, particularly when captain Bruno Fernandes received a straight red card for a foul on James Maddison just before the break.
However, Joshua Zirkzee was the player who attracted the most criticism from fans. He squandered United’s best chance to equalize in the first half, leading to backlash on social media for not helping his team get back into the match.
One supporter on X remarked, “This might be the worst 30 minutes of football I’ve ever seen. Did Zirkzee win a competition to play for us?”
Another noted, “Zirkzee is so slow. He’s disrupted United’s counterattacks. He missed a one-on-one. Not a finisher.”
A third fan drew a comparison to Erling Haaland, stating, “Zirkzee is 1.93m, Haaland is 1.94m, yet Zirkzee is always reaching for the ball. He never appears in control of his shots. It’s strange.”
Another echoed this thought: “Zirkzee is ALWAYS stretching. Zero instinct as a striker.”
United’s troubles worsened in the second half. Just two minutes after the restart, Dejan Kulusevski increased Tottenham’s lead. In the 77th minute, Dominic Solanke added a third, ensuring a decisive 3-0 win for the visitors.
This outcome marked United’s third match without a win, following consecutive draws against Crystal Palace in the Premier League and FC Twente in the Europa League. Overall, the Red Devils have secured only three victories in their first eight matches of the season.