Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has admitted his side must ‘kill’ other teams with better finishing following their narrow 1-0 win over Fulham on Friday night.
The Red Devils secured victory late on through Joshua Zirkzee, with the Netherlands international sweeping home in the 87th minute.
United also spurned several big chances throughout the miss that, if taken, could have made for a more straightforward evening.
Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount were denied by Bernd Leno, while Alejandro Garnacho missed a huge chance at the death to finish Fulham off.
Man Utd news: Erik ten Hag has admitted his side must ‘kill’ other teams following their narrow win over Fulham on Friday night
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And Ten Hag, speaking after the game, has admitted he wants his side to ‘kill’ more teams – insisting it was his ‘only criticism’ of their performance.
“Fulham is always a difficult game, they are very good on the ball, but I think we defended [well],” he said.
“Especially, we pressed very well. After, I think, 10-12 minutes we found our spell in the game and we kept them under pressure and they had a lot of trouble.
“They didn’t come out of the pressure, which was good, and we created a lot of chances, I think.
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“And we should have scored earlier, that’s the only criticism I have on the team. Kill. Kill in the box.”
Ten Hag says the victory was a needed one, with the United boss also lavishing praise on Zirkzee following his goalscoring heroics.
“It’s just [the] first game. But it’s good to strengthen the belief, and confidence in the team,” he added.
“But it’s not only the win but also the performance that’s okay.
“And, I have seen many spaces where we can, and where we have to, improve. But that’s normal, first game of the season.
“Yes [Zirkzee gets involved in build-up] but scoring, for a striker, is important.
“He should be there, where he was, to finish, to kill. But yeah, he has more qualities, so he has to get the right balance.
“We have to work with him, I think that’s one of the things I spoke with him about, that he has to be arriving in the box to get his finishes, but, of course, we want him to link up.
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Man Utd news: Erik ten Hag has praised Joshua Zirkzee following his side’s 1-0 win over Fulham on Friday night
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“Therefore, also, for that attribute, we bought him.
“And he has great qualities to make that link-up play and we have some great midfielders around him who can make combinations so we can take hold of the game.”
Fulham boss Marco Silva, meanwhile, has lamented the ‘same story’ after his side crashed to defeat.
“It was the same story again,” he said.
Man Utd news: Fulham boss Marco Silva was left disappointed following his side’s Premier League defeat at Old Trafford on Friday night
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“I believe that we deserved more from the game in terms of the result, definitely.
“Looking overall at the game, I think we deserved more.”