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Ruben Amorim hails Joshua Zirkzee after comeback win over Crystal Palace
Palace flew out of the blocks and dominated the opening half-hour with relentless pressure, earning a deserved lead when Jean-Philippe Mateta struck the opener.
For much of the first half, United struggled to cope, and Zirkzee in particular endured a difficult spell. Making only his second start of the season due to injuries to Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha, the young striker found himself repeatedly overpowered by Palace's defenders.
Their aerial strength and tight marking left him isolated, unable to link effectively with team-mates or influence the game.
Manager Ruben Amorim later admitted he might have replaced Zirkzee at the interval had another fit striker been available. Yet the match began to turn as Palace, having played in Europe midweek, started to tire.
This shift allowed United to find greater rhythm, and Zirkzee gradually grew into the contest, finding more joy in advanced areas.
United drew level in the 54th minute when Zirkzee expertly controlled a Bruno Fernandes free-kick on his chest before steering a finish past Dean Henderson from an exceptionally tight angle.
The comeback was completed when Mason Mount added a second later in the half, sealing a valuable win that keeps United firmly in the chase near the top of the table.
"It was very important but not just the goal, even the runs behind," Amorim said about Zirkzee.
"In the first half he struggled in the duels. He won some duels in the second half. We improved a lot because of the quality of Joshua in the second half.
"It is important for him to understand that it is not just a goal."
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