ZLATAN Ibrahimovic was delighted after he scored a brace in Manchester United’s 2-0 Premier League defeat over Southampton at Old Trafford.
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Ibrahimovic headed a Wayne Rooney cross into the bottom corner in the 36th minute, before scoring a penalty early in the second period to ensure that the Red Devils continued their ideal start to the 2016-17 campaign.
Ibrahimovic has already scored three league goals, to complement his victor in the Community Shield against Leicester.
Mourinho was pleased with the result as his side claimed their second win from their opening two games and managed to keep a clean sheet in the process.
United was more than happy to let Southampton have the bulk of possession – a rarity for United in recent years – and played more directly in attack when they do have the ball in the first half, continuing the theme of a more cautious first half. There didn’t seem any hesitation when Ibrahimovic took the ball and placed it on the spot, even though Rooney is United’s usual penalty-taker.
“I designate three: Paul [Pogba], Wayne and Zlatan and sometimes I like the players to have the feeling it is for me”, Mourinho said.
When questioned on what they had improved on, he explained: “Everything”.
Jose Mourinho said earlier this month that the Swedish striker is “like a magnet” in the Aon Training Complex canteen, where the players have flocked around their iconic team-mate at meal times.
“He needs to get to know the players, I need to get to know everybody, the way we play, the simple things outside the pitch, inside the pitch”. Pogba says that “at the end I missed a bit” but that through the whole game his “legs felt good – I can carry on”.
It was Ibrahimovic’s third goal in two league games and guaranteed maximum points for manager Jose Mourinho on his first appearance in the home dugout.
Pogba’s return to Old Trafford, four years after he left for Juventus without having made a Premier League start, has been eagerly awaited by United fans this summer.
“That’s what I’m saying, I need September because the relation can be good, the players can be good professionals, they can feel I trust all of them, but when a player doesn’t play one, two, three games, the frustration comes and it is hard to play well”, he explained.
“I think for 10 days work, first match of the season, not even 10 minutes of a friendly, I think he played phenomenal”.
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“I’m so happy with the organisation of the team”.
