Joshua Zirkzee, a Manchester United player, has publicly criticized fans who left Old Trafford before the end of their dramatic Europa League match against Lyon.
Manchester United initially took a strong 2-0 lead in the first half. However, Lyon fought back, taking the lead 4-2 in extra time. In a stunning turn of events, United scored three goals in the last 10 minutes, winning the game 5-4 and the overall tie 7-6.
Social media footage showed many fans leaving Old Trafford when Alexandre Lacazette of Lyon scored a penalty in extra time, extending their lead to two goals.
However, when Bruno Fernandes scored United`s third goal, some fans tried to return to the stadium, while others watched from outside.
The atmosphere in the stadium became electric when Kobbie Mainoo scored a late equalizer, and it reached fever pitch when Harry Maguire headed in the winning goal.
Ruben Amorim`s team played without Zirkzee, who was injured in a previous match against Newcastle. The manager indicated that this injury would likely end Zirkzee`s season.
Despite his injury, Zirkzee was present at the stadium for the thrilling quarter-final second leg.
He posted a video on Instagram capturing the loud cheers inside Old Trafford as fans supported the team.
In a message aimed at fans who left early, he captioned the video: “To all the fans who left when we were down. Have a listen to this.”
Zirkzee had played in the first leg and scored a goal that was later overshadowed by a mistake from Andre Onana.
After the game, Amorim mentioned that he watched a documentary about Manchester United`s 1999 Champions League win for inspiration. He described the match as an “unbelievable” and “great night,” noting the team`s resilience despite being down 4-2 and a player short.
However, Amorim also emphasized the need to focus on the Europa League due to the team`s inconsistent performance in the league. He pointed out physical challenges and the need to give opportunities to younger players in Premier League matches, prioritizing Europa League success.
Manchester United is set to play against Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League semi-finals in May. They will play at home on May 8 for the second leg. Manchester United`s last victory against Athletic Bilbao was in 1957, and they have lost twice to them in more recent times.
Before the semi-finals, Man Utd will play against Wolves in the Premier League. Wolves are currently on a good run, undefeated in the league since February. Wolves are aiming for their first league double over Manchester United since the 1979/80 season, having won 2-0 in their previous encounter this season.
