Speaking after United’s 2-1 win over Leicester City in the Community Shield at Wembley, Mourinho told BT Sport: “It’s incredible that such a good player is with us”.
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Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic believes there is something big going on at the club after netting the victor in the Community Shield against Leicester City on Sunday.
Jose Mourinho delivered the Community Shield in his first official game as Manchester United manager before dedicating the victory over Leicester to former boss Louis van Gaal.
Leicester equalised shortly after half-time when Jamie Vardy anticipated a clumsy backpass by Marouane Fellaini after the Belgian midfielder was unsettled by pacey substitute Ahmed Musa.
Guess who United fans want Mourinho to save?
“The team isn’t fit enough yet”, Mourinho told BT Sport.
“I would not be ambitious if I said we had a fantastic performance, because it was not a fantastic performance. It wasn’t. It’s always important to start with a trophy”.
And Mourinho paid tribute to Van Gaal – who he worked with at Barcelona – for the laying the groundwork for United’s victory.
Okazaki was then denied by the crossbar a minute later when he met Marc Albrighton’s corner with a powerful header as the Premier League champions threatened United’s goal.
“It feels good”, said Ibrahimovic after the traditional curtain-raiser to the English season. First official game, we play for the trophy and we win, that’s what it’s all about, winning trophies. We are realistic. If we are mentioned along with those big teams, okay, we will take it, but we are only Leicester City.
Rather than start with any of his six summer signings, Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri brought in long-serving Andy King to replace Kante in the heart of his midfield, and his side continued to sit back, absorb the opposition’s possession and threaten on the break through Vardy’s pace.
Leicester will kick-off their title defence at newly-promoted Hull City on Saturday, more than three months after stunning the sporting world.
Mourinho deployed his new-look strike partnership of Wayne Rooney and Ibrahimovic and both players made their presence felt in Leicester’s penalty area early on.
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But United manager Mourinho attempted to play down any suggestion that Mata was unhappy at being taken off by claiming that the player’s lack of height prompted his late tactical switch.
