Ibrahimovic: Manchester United's Match-winner

"I knew the contribution would be massive," Jose Mourinho said on Sunday, when asked whether Zlatan Ibrahimovic had exceeded his expectations at Manchester United this season.

The manager had just seen his 35-year-old Swedish superstar step off the bench at Ewood Park and put Blackburn Rovers out of the FA Cup with a perfectly-placed half-volley.

It was goal number 24 of the campaign for Ibrahimovic, meaning, remarkably, he's United's top scorer in all competitions across the past two seasons despite only being at the club for seven months.

But more significantly, Ibrahimovic's goal against Blackburn - coming just four days on from his hat-trick in the 3-0 Europa League win against St-Etienne - was his seventh match-winning strike of the season.

When United need a decisive goal, more often than not, Ibrahimovic has been the man to step up.

In the Premier League, he's scored winning goals against Southampton, Crystal Palace and West Brom, and grabbed equalisers against Liverpool and West Ham.

Throw in his strikes against Swansea and Everton and, without his goals, Manchester United would be 11 points worse off.

Only Diego Costa's goals for Chelsea have been as important.

There was also the winning goal at home to Zorya Luhansk in the Europa League - not to mention the nerve-calming second in United's 2-0 victory in the reverse fixture.

Indeed, going all the way back to the Community Shield, it was Ibrahimovic on that hot August afternoon who struck the clincher seven minutes from time against Leicester.

Throughout the campaign, he has been United's saviour.

No other player at the club is into double figures. Mourinho will be hoping his match-winner stays fit and firing through United's jam-packed run-in.

Credit: Skysports.com