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Manchester United forward Joshua Zirkzee suffered his lowest point as a football player when he was hauled off the pitch after just 33 minutes of action yesterday.
The Dutchman’s career at Old Trafford could not have got off to a better start as he came off the bench to score the winning goal versus Fulham way back in August.
Since, it has been an unmitigated disaster.
There was a brief glimpse of hope when he shone versus Everton at the start of the month and scored a brace but this has seemingly all gone up in flames once more.
Zirkzee was not the only poor performer yesterday but he lost the ball seven times and only made three out of nine passes before he was replaced by Kobbie Mainoo 12 minutes before the halftime break.
He was clearly distraught by the decision and went straight down the tunnel before emerging shortly after to rejoin his teammates on the bench.
The Old Trafford crowd, usually famed for its patience and loyalty, reached breaking point last night as they seemingly booed the Dutchman off the pitch.
The Daily Express report that “Joshua Zirkzee was brutally booed off by his own supporters after being substituted midway through the first half of Manchester United’s Monday night clash against Newcastle.”
“There were more boos, mixed with some applause from the Stretford End, when Zirkzee reached the mouth of the tunnel.”
Some fans will welcome the reaction of the crowd as standards have slipped so quickly at the club that few recognise who Manchester United are anymore.
Zirkzee was not the only poor performer in the half but it was clear that United did need extra midfield support. What’s more, part of the crowd’s reaction may also have been in support of local lad Kobbie Mainoo coming on and a recognition of Ruben Amorim’s proactivity to fix a glaring problem in the team.
However, English football culture is famed for its standards of not turning on its own players.
It is terrifying to think the reaction Real Madrid’s crowd would have for this bunch of players when you consider they booed a prime Cristiano Ronaldo.
They would argue that this is one of the reasons that standards are always so high at the club but it is incongruent with the way Old Trafford has always gone about its business.
Fans have to pay a hefty price to go see their team in action and deserve so much more than the rubbish they are being served up.
Nonetheless, it is etched into the culture of the club and dare it be said, country’s football culture that you do not turn on your own.
Zirkzee is probably not good enough and will likely be sold in the not too distant future. This is not his fault however and nobody doubts that he hasn’t given his best effort since joining the club.
Like any player who represents the badge, he must be supported until the day he leaves, so the club can try and piece itself together as a united front.
United are in a massive hole, one that could take much longer to get out of than fans care to admit. Clearly nobody has any obvious ideas how to rectify the situation just yet but one thing that will certainly not help is ripping each other to pieces as the outside world delights in United’s new lows on and off the pitch.
Featured Image Carl Recine via Getty Images
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