Is Zlatan Getting Better With Age?

Zlatan Ibrahimovic compared himself to Benjamin Button after helping Manchester United beat Sunderland on Sunday - and the Swede has indeed proved to be a curious case of a player improving after turning 30.

The 35-year-old United striker has scored 28 goals in all competitions for the Old Trafford club this season, dismissing any suggestions he would struggle in England after his free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain last summer.

With 17 Premier League goals to his name, he's in contention for the golden boot, and is aiming to add the Europa League to the Community Shield and EFL Cup he's already won with United this season, while also battling for a top-four finish.

It seems age is having no impact on Ibrahimovic's ability. In fact, he says he's potentially more effective than ever. "It seems that the older I get, the more intelligent I get," he told Sky Sports. "I am getting better and better and, like I said, I feel like Benjamin Button - I was born old and I will die young!"

Interestingly, the stats back up Ibrahimovic's perception.

Before turning 30 in 2011, the former Malmo, Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona and AC Milan ace scored 232 goals in 528 appearances.

Since that landmark birthday, playing for Milan, PSG and United, he's gone on to score 250 goals in just 308 appearances.

In other words, Ibrahimovic has gone from scoring one goal every 2.28 games to scoring every 1.2 games.

Critics would suggest his time spent in France's Ligue 1 has skewed those figures, with Ibrahimovic netting 156 times for the dominant Paris club across four seasons, but his scoring exploits haven't relented in England - in fact, he's struck in 41 per cent of Manchester United's 51 matches across all competitions this term.

With his contract set to expire this summer, Ibrahimovic is yet to announce whether he'll be extending his stay at Manchester United.

Whatever other factors are in play when he comes to deciding where he'll be for the 2017/18 season, his ability to keep performing at the top level for another campaign won't be in doubt for the age-defying striker.

Credit: Skysports.com