Zirkzee can still count on fans' support

As he prepared to take the decisive spot-kick, it was not lost that he had recently suffered the pain of being jeered at Old Trafford, when substituted during a defeat to Newcastle United.

I think most people will accept the Dutchman was merely a lightning rod for the fans' ire and frustration that day, a theory bolstered by the support he swiftly received when warming up in our following game, against Liverpool at Anfield.

He came on as a substitute and would have had the matchwinning assist at the death, had the ball not bobbled and Harry Maguire's shot gone over, rather than under, the bar.

So Zirkzee must have been buoyed by this clear, unequivocal backing from our loyal supporters but it would only be human to feel nervous as he was the man charged with the responsibility of deciding the tie with the Gunners.

Yet he smashed the penalty past David Raya and could celebrate in front of the away end, giving us a moment to remember fondly at the Emirates Stadium.

Zirkzee's subsequent form has led to him being on our three-man shortlist for the February Player of the Month award, won by Bruno Fernandes, and there are signs he is starting to feel more at home in his surroundings, amid the helter-skelter world of the Premier League.

And the nature of football at the highest level means things change quickly. Very quickly. The forward ran himself into the ground during the 120 minutes (much more than this when you consider injury time) against Fulham on Sunday, after putting in another huge shift in midweek as the 10-man Reds managed to overcome Ipswich Town 3-2.

He looked exhausted as he walked from the halfway line for our fifth penalty, needing to score to prolong the shootout by at least another kick and place pressure on Fulham's final taker, after Victor Lindelof's effort had already been saved by Bernd Leno.

Unfortunately, the 23-year-old's strike was too close to Leno, who palmed away again, and United's hopes of reaching a third successive FA Cup final were up in smoke.

Zirkzee looked crestfallen, his devastation obvious even after receiving commiserations from his colleagues and a sympathetic Ruben Amorim.

Yet the crowd instantly showed its support and understanding for his dejection. 'Oh Joshua Zirkzee' rang out form the Stretford End, he was applauded off the field and left in no doubt that no fingers of blame were being pointed in his direction. I'd wager this is probably pretty unusual in such circumstances.

It was certainly encouraging to witness and was exactly what is required at this difficult, critical stage of the season for United.

So, when Zirkzee posts on social media to say 'Sorry to let you down, Reds', he cannot feel down. There is simply no time, with Thursday's Europa League tie at Real Sociedad looming on the horizon.

Josh is likely to be a key figure in Spain and, against technical opponents from La Liga, may be granted a fraction more time, a fraction more space, to really exhibit the close control and skills were have started to see more frequently in recent weeks.

The Europa League can still save the Reds' season, even if there are concerns over fatigue heading into the first leg at the Reale Arena.

The stakes are so high that everybody has to be in this together, and you can be sure the travelling supporters will be 100 per cent behind Zirkzee and his team-mates, the shootout agony quickly forgotten.

What counts now is putting on a professional display in San Sebastian and going into the return game at Old Trafford from a position of strength.

Our no.11 has still to open his European goal account for the club he joined in the summer. Thursday evening would be the perfect time to do that and further endear himself to the fans who are starting to appreciate what he can offer to this team.

The opinions in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Manchester United Football Club.