United know how hard it is to sign a striker in January, having only managed to get Wout Weghorst in the winter of 2023 when they needed to replace Cristiano Ronaldo. And despite Zirkzee's struggles in a stop-start United career, it is clear that he is worth keeping around until the summer at least.
Zirkzee’s goal against Palace was a much-needed reminder of how lethal he can be when he gets in the right positions. For a player who is known much more for bringing others into play than scoring himself, the Dutchman can still pack a mean punch with his right foot.
His Selhurst Park strike was his best in a United shirt, showing impressive composure to take Bruno Fernandes’ free-kick down on his chest and then fire into the net from the narrowest of angles. He had also shown his deadly touch on his debut against Fulham, when Erik ten Hag was in charge, producing a deft first-time finish to decide the game. His goal against Real Sociedad, a thumping strike from outside the area which left goalkeeper Alex Remiro completely flummoxed, was another reminder of his shooting prowess.
Despite being right-footed, Zirkzee is equally comfortable shooting with his left, using his weaker foot to score against Palace and land a first-time finish from a similar position for Bologna against Cagliari, the first of 12 goals he scored in his final season in Serie A.