Response Pleases Ibra

Zlatan Ibrahimovic admits Manchester United were not on top form in Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Liverpool, although the goalscorer was pleased by the team’s spirited second-half display.

The Reds fell behind to James Milner’s 27th-minute penalty at Old Trafford but admirably recovered after the half-time break and Ibrahimovic equalised with his 19th goal of the season.

Ibrahimovic feels United would have won all three Premier League points if the team had started with the more direct approach that caused the Merseysiders so many problems in the closing stages.

“We got one point and I don't think we were at the top of our game,” Zlatan admitted to Sky Sports following the final whistle. “It was a hard fight, a hard game, and we were 1-0 down. We chased and chased, and it was a different game. But then we got the equaliser.”

Asked what went wrong in the first half, Ibra said: “We made simple mistakes. We were not feeling comfortable in the pressure of the opponent, and I think we played the wrong way. If we played like we did in the second half in the first half, then it would have been a different game.

“We were more direct in the second half. We didn't build from behind, we put it up and we started from up the pitch because they had a very high pressure. We had too many mistakes in our build-up so in the second half we chose to go more direct.”

Ibrahimovic scored the vital equaliser on 84 minutes by heading Antonio Valencia’s deft cross past Simon Mignolet, prompting an eruption of noise from the United fans inside the stadium.

“It was a good cross,” he said. “I thought the header of Fellaini would go in off the post into the goal, but okay we got a second chance, Valencia put in a good ball, I just stayed there and tried to hit the goal.”

Sunday’s result means United’s nine-match winning run is now over, but the team is still unbeaten in 16 matches across all competitions and Zlatan remains confident of climbing the table.

“We would like to win, of course – every game we want to win to close the gap even more – but okay it was 1-1 and we will continue like this,” he said. “We haven't lost in 16 games – we are there.”