Jose Mourinho’s first Premier League game as manager of Manchester United ended in a comfortable 3-1 victory away to Bournemouth on Sunday.
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And Zlatan Ibrahimovic marked his Premier League debut with a goal, driving home United’s third 4 minutes later.
Jose Mourinho surprised everyone by including Marouane Fellaini in the starting XI against the Cherries on opening day, but it now looks like the ideal selection as the big man played a key part in the 3-1 win over Bournemouth. There was some good build-up play.
Mourinho said Ibrahimovic had already been an influence at the club both on and off the field and he still had lots to give.
“I try to do my job and help my team-mates”.
Ibrahimovic has now scored in both his appearances for Manchester United, having headed the victor against Leicester in the Community Shield last week, but says he is still getting used to life in England.
“The first thing I can tell you is that his table for breakfast and his table for meals, he is surrounded by the young ones, surrounded by the kids, ” Mourinho said. Cyle Larin and Kaka scored in the first half for Orlando City, which settled for its league-high 12th tie and, at 5-6-12, has more ties than wins and losses combined.
Mata will also have been pleased to make an impression after the embarrassment of coming on and off as a substitute in the Shield.
Jose Mourinho believes Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s influence on his Manchester United team-mates will be just as crucial as his inspirational contribution on the pitch.
“The season has started in a really good way”, Mata wrote on his blog.
“I found it was a good game, not easy, the first half was hard”, Ibrahimovic said. “It’s important to start [well]”.
Mata seized on Simon Francis’s weak back-pass and a kind ricochet to poke the opening goal and Rooney guided in Anthony Martial’s wayward shot for United’s second.
He recalled: “I started bad with Inter, one draw at home, and we won the treble”.
“If it didn’t hurt it’d be worrying”. But if I score it’s a bonus.
“But we’re an attacking team, we almost got back into it”.
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“One goal changes the picture as in the beginning of the second half they tried to put more pressure on us, which opened more spaces”, Mourinho said.
