Man Utd Outcast Outlines What Must Change to Avoid Rasmus Hojlund Fate

Manchester United forwardJoshua Zirkzee has put the onus on himself to change his situation at Old Trafford, admitting it was a “big surprise” to get a call from the Netherlands for the September-October international break after not playing much at club level.

Zirkzee is yet to start for United this season and has played only 70 minutes across his four appearances in three different competitions. Still, he got his first two national team caps in almost two years this month and almost matched those club minutes in the space of a few days.

Zirkzee came off the bench for Nations League clashes with Greece and Serbia, accumulating 65 minutes and scoring just his second international goal against the latter.

While it surprised the 25-year-old forward to be reporting to camp this fall, it would similarly be a shock to see him drafted into Michael Carrick’s starting XI when the club schedule resumes.

“At the moment, [competition] means I am mainly coming on as a substitute. And in the end, I have to do something about that myself, even if it isn’t easy,” Zirkzee told ESPN this week.

That means working harder in training and taking his opportunities when they do come. The minutes might be infrequent at first, but Zirkzee playing well would force Carrick’s hand.

Zirkzee Must Do More With His Minutes

Joshua Zirkzee — Zirkzee proved he can do it in a Netherlands jersey. | STEFAN KOOPS/EYE4IMAGES/NurPhoto/Getty Images

As it stands, Zirkzee has suffered at United through lacking a defined role. He has the physical stature of Erling Haaland, which has long been deceiving because he is not naturally a penalty-box striker like the Norwegian. Zirkzee is much more of a technician, preferring to operate from a deeper position on the pitch and play an active role in creation and buildup.

That side of him came out during preseason, scoring and assisting by showcasing great vision and skill during the July win over Rosenborg in Norway, when many usual starters were on post-World Cup vacation. He also found the net three weeks later against Leeds United.

He was able to function in the same team as Bryan Mbeumo. The problem is that Zirkzee is otherwise fighting for space with Bruno Fernandes and Matheus Cunha. Benjamin Šeško, although a different kind of forward and more of a traditional No. 9, is also a chief source of competition. Mason Mount is also in that mix and appears to be Carrick’s first Fernandes alternative at No. 10.

Zirkzee has to give the manager a reason to hand him minutes at the expense of others. He is certainly capable. This was someone who graduated the academy at Bayern Munich and was pivotal in Bologna upsetting the established order in Italy to qualify for the Champions League.

When the minutes come—and they will, given that United have eight games between now and the next international window in four weeks—use them. Zirkzee knows that, now he just has to action it.

Rasmus Højlund ultimately failed that test, but Zirkzee still has the chance to rewrite his future.

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