"Time's Running Out for Zirkzee as Man Utd Fans Criticize 'Potentially Illegal' Ticket System – Is the £50m Gamble Worth It?"

THE clock is ticking for Joshua Zirkzee to get more regular game time.

Sources close to believe the Dutchman must seize the opportunity to push for minutes given ‘s shortage up-top.

Joshua Zirkzee has the chance to step up for United in the coming weeksCredit: Getty

Zirkzee was one of eight senior players left behind to train with at Carrington during the latest November internationals.

The 24-year-old is also the only obvious striking option to have been involved in sessions, with undergoing tests and No10 on Brazil duty.

Amorim could play , who was again left out of ’s squad, as a false nine again, but his experiments with in that position proved fatal against last season.

With Sesko out until Christmas, Zirkzee’s role in United’s clash against on Monday will send a clear message. It’s never been so crucial for his future.

The former Bologna striker has been given just 13 minutes of game time since September 15 and has been linked with January moves back to the Serie A.

UNDER-18s DROP OFF

’s side were straight out of the traps at the start of the season, winning their first five games without conceding.

But the U18s have suffered defeats in three of the following five games, registering back-to-back goalless draws against and .

They have dropped to fourth in the table, seven points off league leaders having played a game more.

Wonderkid , who only turned 15 last month, has been a shining light in the side.

New academy director stressed this week that the youth teams need to be competing for top prizes in order to create players “ready for Premier League football”.

Darren Fletcher’s United U18s have dropped to fourth in the tableCredit: PA

TICKET OFFICE CHAOS

United’s away fans are well respected by the players and Amorim – who has been blown away by the support shown to him on some of the most difficult defeats over the last 12 months.

But the relationship between hardcore away fans and the club was put to the test for United’s visit to , where a large number of fans were asked to go to the away ticket office to either collect or verify their tickets.

One fan who highlighted the issue on X expressed concern that United staff asked fans to show photo ID to verify that they were the person who the ticket had been issued to.

And some fans without photo ID have been asked to show either a social media account or the profile section of the United app to help confirm their identity.

The fan added: “Demanding access to a supporter’s personal phone and private accounts constitutes a significant overreach and may be potentially illegal. United staff cannot demand to inspect a private device as a form of identification.”

United have launched a crackdown on ticket touting and are aware that tickets for away ends are now changing hands for thousands of pounds in some instances.

Away games in London are particularly attractive to touts thanks to the number of tourists visiting the capital who are willing to pay whatever it takes to see United.

A United source said: “We know these checks annoy some fans, but at the same time fans are telling us to do more to make sure away tickets are going to the fans who deserve them.

“We occasionally carry out targeted checks on a proportion of away tickets to make sure the ticket-holder is who it is supposed to be. There are always some cases where tickets have been sold on at extortionate prices, ripping off the fans who buy them, and denying regular match-goers a seat.

“Our away ticket allocations are always massively over-subscribed so we have a duty to ensure that tickets are ending up where they are supposed to: with our most loyal fans.”

Some Man Utd fans had trouble getting into the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium earlier this monthCredit: Getty

NEW ARRIVALS

United started the year with a signing from in defender and there will be another arrival from the Gunners.

PR and corporate communications lead Robert Fawdon is set to join United’s comms staff in the new year.

Fawdon has been at Arsenal for six-and-a-half years and will bolster United’s depleted press office.

Another comms addition is expected to offset the impending departure of respected press officer Andrew Ward.

Ward joined United six years ago, initially to head up their corporate communications, but stepped up as their main director of communications after Charlie Brooks left in 2022.

Long-serving press officer Karen Shotbolt departed shortly after Brooks and Toby Craig was appointed as United’s new DoC last summer, having worked with chief executive Omar Berrada at Manchester City.

The highly regarded George McCaffrey assumed the head of football communications role in the summer and now flanks Ruben Amorim at press conferences.

McCaffrey moved to United seven years ago and is the only surviving member from the press office.

TEAM EFFORT

Players are arriving up to an hour EARLY for training sessions.

The majority of players tend to report just after 8am for an official arrival time of 9am.

Most stars are also remaining at their Carrington training complex for much longer since the in August.

Some players are spending up to seven hours on the premises to maximise the new state-of-the art facilities.

The expanded communal area by the canteen, which includes a pool table, a games room and barbershop, is believed to be particularly popular with United players.

When United players returned to their training base from their , some began their recoveries that Sunday evening by having saunas and ice baths.

Players have been spending much more time at Carrington following the £50m revampCredit: Getty

AWAY FROM THE SPOTLIGHT

‘ revelation that he had already moved into the suburbs continues the trend of United players shying away from living in Manchester city centre.

once banned United players from living in the city due to its number of bars and restaurants.

was the only exception when he bought an apartment at No.1 Deansgate.

Ferguson’s legacy has endured, with the majority of United signings heading for the Cheshire villages of Hale, Alderley Edge or Wilmslow.

There have been exceptions. 2014 arrival insisted on residing in the city centre with his girlfriend, now wife, Candy-rae Fleur as they were both in their early twenties.

, 19 when he joined United in 2015, also lived in the city centre in his early twenties.

City players and staff, in contrast, are encouraged to stay in the city.

has spent his entire time as manager in the CitySuites apartment.

New United goalkeeper Senne Lammens has already moved to the suburbs of ManchesterCredit: Getty

UNITED GET ONE THING RIGHT

The addition of 6,000 more rail seats at Old Trafford for Monday night’s game against will take the total number in the stadium up to 13,577.

Safe standing now accounts for 18 per cent of ‘s capacity of 74,412, with rail-seating now installed in both tiers of the Stretford End.

United matchgoers initiated a campaign to ‘reclaim’ the Stretford End, the most famous stand at Old Trafford, in an attempt to improve the atmosphere.

A BOOK BACK

If the Glazer family are looking for “Secret Santa” presents for Christmas, they could do worse than purchase a copy of a new book about Man United – during the glory years.

Former Red Issue fanzine editor John Paul O’Neill has self-published “Those Were The Days: United in the 1990s”.

The author, a lifelong Red who was a key figure in the founding of FC United of Manchester, charts the changing face of United during that time both on and off the pitch – and weaves together football along with a fascinating insight into how Manchester changed culturally, politically and economically during the same period.

The book will be released on November 28 and can be purchased here:

https://pay.tide.co/products/1990s-book-SM1J8zeP/landing (UK fans)

https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/CRZEBWSG3AT3W (Ireland & Europe)