Manchester United made it five wins in a row today, as they vanquished lowly Sunderland 3-1 at home. Striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a huge reason why as he turned in a man of the match type performance, with two assists and one goal. Zlatan, United’s top scorer on the season has now scored 11 times in his past 10 across all competitions.
For the season, he has 17 goals in 26 matches, verifying that he is indeed aging like fine wine- only getting better with time. Ibrahimovic, who has been directly involved in 12 goals over the past 17 games, is one of the main reasons that United are now back in the race for top four.
Zlatan in 2016: ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? #MUFC pic.twitter.com/wPzrBOL4aZ
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) December 26, 2016
It was really announced that the Swede will extend his current one year contract at United for a second year. It’s a great deal for Old Trafford as Ibra has been magnificent. Manager Jose Mourinho, with whom Zlatan Ibrahimovic has a phenomenal long term relationship and rapport, says that he sees Zlatan sticking around the Theatre of Dreams to close out his career.
Mourinho doesn’t think Ibrahimovic will take a big money deal in the Chinese Super League to close out his career, nor will he do the American Major League Soccer “retirement home of world football” swan song that we’ve seen so many times lately from so many other superstars.
Mourinho said of Ibrahimovic yesterday before the Boxing Day fixture:
“Maybe some people could think [he was] a top scorer but not any more at 35 years old, not any more because the Premier League is not Ligue 1. But for him, 35 is the same as 25, Ligue 1 is the same as the Premier League.”
“He scores goals, he plays well and I’m really happy for him because he will end his career on a high, which is amazing. He’s not ending his career in America or in China, he’s ending his career at the top of the top.”
“I’m really pleased with him. His record is good and he can improve. With no penalties, which is amazing too because normally the other guys that are top scorers around the world, they score a lot of penalties. He has had one penalty in 17 Premier League matches so I couldn’t be happier.”
Mourinho believes that Zlatan Ibrahimovic will close out his career going against elite competition every game.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication and Bold Global.
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