Lindelof Opens Up On 'Tough Competition' At Manchester United

Victor Lindelof admits it has been tough watching from the sidelines during his first few weeks at Manchester United.

The new £39.5m signing from Benfica is yet to make his Premier League debut and has been left out of United's match-day squad for two of their opening three matches.

The Sweden international centre-back has found himself behind Eric Bailly, Phil Jones and Chris Smalling in the pecking order at Old Trafford but, nevertheless, he feels he is beginning to settle into his new club.

Lindelof told fotbollskanalen: "It's clear that you always want to play. It's tough competition with very good players. So we'll see how it gets, but of course you always want to play.

"I have just got to the club. The last training week has gone very well and I feel I'm getting into it more and more."

Jose Mourinho has warned Lindelof will need time to adapt to the demands of the Premier League and believes it is unfair to draw comparisons between the 23-year-old and United's other summer signings, Romelu Lukaku and Nemanja Matic, who have both had the benefit of playing in England for a number of years.

With Jones and Bailly suspended for United's opening Champions League game against Basel on September 12, Mourinho has already confirmed he plans to start Lindelof alongside Smalling in that game.

Lindelof, for his part, is using his time out of the starting line-up to try and adapt to the demands of playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world.

"It has been good - getting to know the club, everything around, all the players, the leaders and the system. It is a very important time for me," Lindelof continued.

"It is clear that there is a difference. There are more eyes on Manchester United than there are on Benfica."

Lindelof is currently on international duty with Sweden as they prepare for World Cup Qualifiers against Bulgaria and Belarus.

Credit: Skysports.com

Matic: 'Five Or Six Clubs' Capable Of Winning Premier League

Nemanja Matic says as many as "five or six clubs" are in with a chance of winning the Premier League title this season.

The Manchester United midfielder is currently in Serbia ahead of his country's World Cup Qualifier against Moldova this Saturday.

And when asked if Manchester United can win the Premier League title for the first time in five years, he said: "It will be really tough winning this year, not only for us, but for all the teams.

"There are five or six clubs with a realistic shot at the title and have realistic hopes of contending.
"So it will be really difficult, but we all know very well that Manchester (United) has to play to win every single game, and there are plenty of games left to play.

"The Champions League hasn't started yet, we were drawn into a good group, with some quality sides, so we'll see what happens."

And Matic says he is not surprised he was able to "hit the ground running" after joining Manchester United from rivals Chelsea.

After three and a half years at Stamford Bridge, the influential midfielder moved to United in late July and has moved seamlessly from a blue shirt to a red.

Matic added: "I have become one of the more experienced players by now.

"At the age of 29 it's only normal that I wouldn't need a long time to adapt. I knew many of (Manchester United's) players from before, as I've played against them quite a few times, so I knew what kind of a team they are.

"And of course, the team helped me adapt quickly, they treated me very well from the very first day I entered the dressing room.

"The guys helped me adapt as soon as possible, and of course, on the pitch we also help out each other. So adapting was not a problem."

Credit: Skysports.com

Micki Equals Premier League Assist Record

In-form Manchester United forward Henrikh Mkhitaryan has equalled a 23-year-old record for assists at the start of a Premier League season.

The Armenia international has set up five goals in his first three appearances of the campaign, something that was last achieved in the Premier League by Ruel Fox for Newcastle United during the 1994/95 season.

Mkhitaryan created Marcus Rashford’s opening goal on Saturday against a stubborn Leicester City side, who had managed to keep United out for 70 minutes before eventually losing 2-0 at Old Trafford.

Speaking to MUTV after United's welcomed victory over the recent champions, Mkhitaryan said: “Another assist, I am very glad. I am very excited. I want to thank my team-mates for that. I will keep doing the same and hope to have more assists and goals for the next games."

With himself and United in such good form, Mkhitaryan agreed the international break has come at the wrong time: “We can do nothing about it, it’s the time we have to play for the national team," he said.

"In one case, it’s good because we going to relax, but in our brains we’re going to be a little bit out of the Premier League. I hope that everyone will come back without injury and we’ll get ready to go again.”

United’s next match is away at Stoke City on Saturday 9 September (17:30 BST kick-off).

MKHITARYAN'S 2017/18 ASSIST LIST

13 Aug: Lukaku v West Ham on 53 minutes
Henrikh supplied an inch-perfect cross from a set-piece on the left wing, which led to Romelu scoring his second goal of the game with a towering close-range header past helpless goalkeeper Joe Hart.

13 Aug: Martial v West Ham on 87 minutes
Sometimes the simplest passes are the most effective and that was certainly the case here, as Micki side-footed a short, first-time ball through the defensive line for Anthony to convert a cool finish into the net.

19 Aug: Lukaku v Swansea City on 80 minutes
Our flourishing former Borussia Dortmund star showed a cool head in Wales, taking the ball from Martial to slide a low pass to Lukaku in space. The big man did the rest, shooting in the bottom corner.

19 Aug: Pogba v Swansea City on 85 minutes
This is perhaps his best assist of the season so far, after sprinting up the right wing from the halfway line and executing a perfect pass into the box for Paul to chip a neat finish over the goalkeeper. Magic!

26 Aug: Rashford v Leicester City on 70 minutes
With the score at 0-0, the game needed a moment of inspiration and Mkhitaryan's corner from the right wing fell at the feet of Marcus for the substitute to score with an instinctive finish.

Mourinho: Jones My Type Of Player

Jose Mourinho believes Phil Jones has all the attributes needed to become a top-class centre-half for Manchester United.

The 25-year-old is off to a strong start this season, starting alongside Eric Bailly in each of United's opening three Premier League matches and helping to secure three wins and three clean sheets.

Jones has been selected in England's squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Malta and Slovakia, though he is currently dealing with an ankle injury.

Injuries have been a consistent problem for Jones at United, derailing the progress of a player identified as a future captain by Sir Alex Ferguson after being signed as a teenager from Blackburn Rovers in 2011, but the future appears bright under Mourinho if he can stay fit.

"He's potentially a very good player," Mourinho said. "He's still young. He's still in a learning age but for years and years and years he was injury-prone.

"He has a problem now. He's complaining about an ankle problem so he's the kind of player where we need to have him always in our hands with a lot of care from the medical department, from the fitness coach, from my assistants, in the gym, working always on prevention, on recovery.

"If we manage to have him safe and protected from injuries, I think potentially he's everything I like in a central defender."

Mourinho has plenty of options to choose from at centre-back, with new £39.5m signing Victor Lindelof failing to make the bench in two of United's opening three matches, with Chris Smalling preferred.

Marcos Rojo will provide another quality alternative when he returns from a knee ligament injury later in the season and Mourinho is a firm admirer of 19-year-old Axel Tuanzebe.

It is the type of selection headache the United boss is happy to have.

"Smalling is in very good condition and Victor is improving every day," Mourinho declared.

"Against Basle, Jones and Eric are both suspended so we will play Victor and Smalling and there will be no problem at all.

"The squad is good and the mentality of the players is very good."

Mourinho expects the depth of his squad to be tested after the international break, with United set to play seven fixtures in 22 days.

"If I have one week to prepare a match, my team is always very good because you have time to organise a week of work, going through every item of the game," Mourinho said.

"When you start playing every two, three days, it's more based on what you build during pre-season. From now, (there are) no more clean weeks, from now every week has a midweek match until the moment we are out of one of the cups.

"Now my team is also the mirror of the work we are doing in clean weeks where we can train five days and close to every item of the game-plan."

Credit: Skysports.com

Mata: Our Feet Are Grounded

Hi everyone,

My third blog’s entry of the season… and the team’s third win. I hope to go on like this until May, only 35 games left…! :-/ The truth is, in a moment like this, you want the next game to start as soon as possible to keep your winning streak, but as you know we have to stop for the first international break. Anyway, the goal of getting nine points out of nine has been achieved, and the best thing is the good vibes that the team shows on the pitch, the ability to dominate the games and the patience to end up scoring and winning. And the three clean sheets prove our strength so far. That’s good news because this is the consistency we’re looking for, in order to reach the last spell of the season in a good position for the final sprint.

On Saturday, against Leicester, I think we deserved the victory. We created enough chances to win and to enjoy one of those happy evenings at Old Trafford thanks to our amazing crowd. It took some time to score, but we kept believing in our chances to win. We are very happy, indeed, but we keep our feet on the ground; this is just the beginning. The Premier League is long and very tough, arguably the most difficult league in Europe, and there is a very long way to go.

It was the week of the Champions League draw, a competition where Manchester United deserves to be always. Benfica, Basel and CSKA Moscow will test our ability to take the name of this great club with pride and class all around Europe. Starting at Old Trafford should give us confidence to have a good performance during the group stage. We are looking forward to listening again to that nice music that turns the Theatre of Dreams into one of the most special places in the world. Usain Bolt, a legend of sports and a passionate United fan, was there last Saturday enjoying the game. It was a pleasure to have a chat with him and see how happy he was after the match. He is, and he will always be, a true legend! Who knows, he might end up training with us one day…

Also, last Thursday you could watch on the club’s TV the second part of my meeting with actor Dominic Monaghan, another lifelong Red. You may remember our first meeting a few months ago, when we strolled around Manchester; this time he invited me to visit some of his favourite places in LA. You will have another chance to watch it as of tomorrow. I hope you enjoyed it as much as we did.

In Spain, Real Madrid played at home against Valencia, a club starting on a new stage that looked good the first week. The game finished with a 2-2 draw after a great performance by the visitors and two nice goals from Asensio.

Meanwhile, Barcelona got a solid win in Vitoria, a tough place to get the three points, and the same about Atlético in Las Palmas. Those three teams are likely to be the main favourites in the title race, as it’s been in the last few years in La Liga. In the Second Division, Oviedo got their first point in Almeria against another historic club.

Once again, thank you all for your interest and optimism around the Common Goal initiative. As you know this is a very exciting project; we will be giving more good news about it soon… :-).

Have a nice week. Hugs‎,

How Does Antonio Valencia Want To Improve?

Consistent is a word that perfectly describes Antonio Valencia's performances on the pitch, but the experienced Manchester United right-back humbly accepts there is always room for improvement in his game. This season, as the Ecuadorian recently explained to Inside United, our South American powerhouse plans to work harder on using his weaker left foot.

The 31-year-old spoke to our monthly magazine during the pre-season tour of America for an in-depth interview in the September edition, which is still available to order online.

After discussing the club’s ambition to win the Premier League title under Jose Mourinho, the honour he feels when wearing the captain’s armband and his early impressions of Romelu Lukaku, Valencia spoke honestly about his own plans to develop throughout his ninth season with the Reds.

“There is always something to improve on and, this season, I will try to be better with my left foot,” Antonio explained. “I will shoot more, try to do more with it and I hope, this year, I can achieve this. Overall, I just wish to be better and, God willing, things will go the right way for me and for the team.”

The UEFA Champions League is also a trophy that is on Valencia’s radar this season, now that United are back in the elite competition following last campaign’s Europa League success. As you may have already read, the Reds have been drawn in Group A alongside CSKA Moscow, Benfica and FC Basel.

While nobody at United is getting ahead of themselves, the defender hopes to go a long way in Europe this season. “There is an excitement about being back in the competition,” he told us.

“I miss the Champions League song and the timing of the game, plus the whole environment and what it is like to play a Champions League match. We are back and we are hoping to do a good job.

"We hope we can win it. That is the objective. When you play in an important competition like that, you just want to win. Right now, we are taking it step by step, phase by phase. Hopefully we can achieve that.”

Vidic Praises Matic

Nemanja Matic has impressed every Manchester United supporter since joining from Chelsea, including his namesake, compatriot and former Reds skipper Nemanja Vidic.

The giant Serbian midfielder was hardly an unknown quantity to United fans after helping the Blues to win two Premier League titles in three seasons, following his 2014 return from Benfica.

Jose Mourinho declared earlier this month that Matic is his ideal signing and club legend Vidic is also not surprised by the way Nemanja has quickly settled into life at Old Trafford.

The former centre-back, who won 15 major honours in nine seasons with United before leaving in 2014, has held Matic in high regard since they first crossed paths on international duty almost a decade ago.

Speaking exclusively to United Review, Vidic recalled: "I remember him arriving for the Serbian national team for the first time. We were playing a game in Prague against Czech Republic in 2008.

"My first impressions of him were positive – a nice guy, someone good to have around and someone who would be right in the dressing room. Unlike many of the players in the Serbian national side, he did not play for Red Star or Partizan Belgrade at a senior level.

"He's from Sabac, close to Belgrade, but he found his way via football in Slovakia where he was Player of the Year there with Kosice. He was a very talented footballer."

Matic has already slotted seamlessly into a United team which has began the 2017/18 in impressive form and Vidic feels our new signing's experience could be crucial in a potential title challenge.

"He has similar qualities to Michael Carrick, who has been a great player for the club," Vida said. "Michael is now 36; Nemanja is younger at 29 but he's also very experienced. He's been at big clubs, including Benfica and Chelsea, where he's won titles.

"There are not so many players left at Old Trafford who have won the title before, so that trophy-winning mentality is very important because it can't only come from a very successful manager. Nemanja has been there before and he knows what it's like when the pressure really builds in a title race.

"He's a very good signing for us. He's a top player for the position and I'm surprised that Antonio Conte let him go. He played most of their games last season and did really well, so I didn't expect him to be sold to one of their biggest rivals. The way he's played in his first few games suggests he is a United player."

That opinion is clearly echoed by United fans, who have already repurposed Vidic's famous chant for the new no.31 and the 2008 Champions League winner is more than happy to share his song.

"I'm glad United have signed him," the 35-year-old told us. "Firstly because I think he's an excellent player and person, but also because he's from Serbia and called Nemanja – they are very good qualities to have! I've heard that the fans have been singing the song that I had. I loved my song, it was special for me and I hope Nemanja does well and has the fans singing it for him, too. It's great to have that recognition."

Guardiola Overcomplicates Football, Mourinho Simplifies It

Pep Guardiola overcomplicates football, while Jose Mourinho simplifies it, says Neil Custis on the Sunday Supplement.

Manchester City boss Guardiola saw his side score late for the second time in a week on Saturday, securing a 2-1 win over Bournemouth via Raheem Sterling's 97th-minute winner.

Mourinho's Manchester United beat Leicester 2-0, and sit top of the league after three wins, scoring 10 and conceding none.

The Sun's Custis also insists he has not seen any progress from last season with City, and says they are still overplaying from defence.

He said on Sunday Supplement: "I don't see any progress from last season. I think a lot of players, particularly at the back, don't know what they're doing.

"Whereas Mourinho simplifies football, I think Guardiola overcomplicates it. There were a number of times against Bournemouth where they were getting caught at the back, again with the short passing, again with failing to clear their lines.

"It just seems very complicated sometimes with what they're trying to do."

Sergio Aguero was left on the bench for City, with Guardiola preferring Gabriel Jesus up front at the Vitality Stadium, and Custis believes Aguero's mood will only worsen in the months to come.

"Leaving Aguero out - he wasn't happy - I think that's going to fester, and I think it's going to be an unwanted backdrop to the season.

"He's one of the greatest players to grace the Premier League ever, one of the best foreign players to ever come here. I think he deserves better treatment than what he is getting from Guardiola, he doesn't deserve this.

"He's still one of the greatest goalscorers out there, and that is a backdrop that is going to fester because he's a very popular person at that club, not just with the fans but with the players also.

"Aguero is such an intelligent footballer, he can drop deeper, and he can play the two of them [Jesus and Aguero]. If you're an opposition manager up against those two, you'd think: 'What are we going to do?'

"I don't see the problem. You wonder again whether it's Guardiola flexing his muscles behind the scenes, as he did with Yaya Toure and Joe Hart."

On the other side of Manchester, United have impressed so far this season, and Custis says Mourinho has lifted the mood around Old Trafford in the space of a year.

"You can't help but praise the job he's done. What I see Mourinho having done, having been around the club and going everywhere with them, is that he's got the club back.

"He's got the spirit back, the relationship back between the club and the fans, the fans and the players. The spirit among the players now, compared to two years ago, is chalk and cheese.

"I saw it in pre-season, they like each other, they get on, there's a tremendous bond there. In a year, he has got the giant that had fallen asleep back tall and walking again. I just think he's done a fantastic job there."

Credit: Skysports.com

Mourinho Has Dig At 'Very Quiet' Man. United Supporters After Leicester Win

Jose Mourinho had a dig at Manchester United's home support after his side beat Leicester to stay top of the Premier League.

Second-half goals from Marcus Rashford and Marouane Fellaini made it three wins from three for United and opened a two-point lead in the early-season table.

A crowd of 75,021 was inside Old Trafford to see United's good start continue, but Mourinho afterwards claimed it took Rashford's opener to wake the stadium.

He said: "I didn't see the first goal. I was speaking with Jesse Lingard because Lingard was going to be the next player to come on.

"I saw the ball in the net and all the guys jumping around. It was the first time I saw the crowd. They were very quiet.

"It was easy to know that was a goal because it was the first time I really understood the stadium was full."

Leicester threatened occasionally on the break with the game goalless but lacked the cutting edge that yielded three goals in an opening-day defeat at Arsenal.

And Mourinho was quick to draw a comparison between the Gunners' handling of Jamie Vardy and the way his own side kept the England striker quiet.

"Vardy is a very dangerous player," he said. "I would say he is one of the most dangerous players in the Premier League. Was he dangerous today? No. Why? Because we played so well to control them.

"Were Leicester very dangerous against Arsenal? Yes. I watched the match many times. Were they dangerous against us? No. Why? Because of us. So we had a very good and solid performance."

Credit: Skysports.com

Pogba Collects UEFA Accolade

Paul Pogba picked up his UEFA Europa League Player of the Season prize at the end of last week and MUTV travelled to Monaco to catch up with the Frenchman as he collected his award.

The Manchester United midfielder beat team-mates Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Zlatan Ibrahimovic to the accolade after some impressive performances during the Reds' triumphant Europa League campaign last term.

Pogba opened the scoring in the final against Ajax and during his exclusive interview with MUTV in Monaco, he reflected on that night, dedicated the goal and award to his late father and thanked the fans for their unequivocal support.

"To win this award and score that goal in the final was a huge thing for me personally. I'm really honoured," he told us. "I want to give it to the memory of my Dad and I'm very happy and proud to win it.

"All the time I thank the fans that we have all over the world as without them we wouldn't be here and we want to make them as happy as they make us in every game. Hopefully we can do that this season."

Reaction To Reds Win Over Leicester

We've gathered a selection of post-match quotes from the players and manager Jose Mourinho following Manchester United's hard-fought victory over Leicester City at Old Trafford.

The table-topping Reds continued the perfect start to the Premier League season with a third successive victory heading into the international break as Marcus Rashford and Marouane Fellaini scored off the bench to see off the Foxes.  

Boss Mourinho and a number of his players all spoke to MUTV and BT Sport after the game and we have summarised their key points below.

Jose Mourinho: “The blue wall was very well organised and I always give credit for that. They defended amazingly well, but we kept calm and kept control of the game. If I had to find the words to describe my team I would say solid. I think this season there is a difference in the quality of our football, we are playing better.”

Marcus Rashford: “You do think it’s going to be one of those days when you’re watching the game. We have players that are in the starting 11 and the players that are on the bench to try and make the difference and this year I feel like we have more fire power and different dimensions of playing styles, so we put ourselves in better stead for games like this which are difficult.”

Paul Pogba: “We had so many chances. I was a bit scared but we kept pushing and I think this season the luck has turned our way. That’s why we need depth, we always say get ready because the substitutes can make an impact on the game and they did today so we’re very happy with that.”

Juan Mata: “Nine points out of nine, I am happy before the international break but we have our feet on the ground. We created enough chances to score today and I think we are the deserved winners. It was a convincing performance and it felt like we were never going to score, but finally we did. The starting 11, we tried our best but it was very important that the three substitutes gave us a lot.”

Henrikh Mkhitaryan: “A win is a win, it doesn’t matter if you win 4-0 or 2-0. The most important [thing is] that you win. It was very, very good that we have won and we have [won] three out of three.”

MUTV’s Paddy Crerand: “Another terrific display by United and it’s great to see the defence conceding no goals again. There’s so many players in the squad now, top-class players who are all fighting for their place in the team.”

View from the opposing dug-out – Craig Shakespeare: “When you come to Old Trafford in the form they are in, they will have big moments. We had our moments too but could not see the game through. Set pieces are our Achilles heel at the moment. We need to organise and set things up better.”

Mourinho Reflects On United Win Over Foxes

Jose Mourinho was understandably delighted as Manchester United maintained the winning start to the Premier League season against Leicester City on Saturday.

Goals from substitutes Marcus Rashford and Marouane Fellaini earned a 2-0 victory over the Foxes at Old Trafford as the table-topping Reds made it nine points out of nine before the international break.

Read what the boss had to say on a number of topics in his post-match interviews with BT Sport and MUTV…

THE PLAYERS WERE POSITIVE
“I think we played very well. The result was open at 0-0. The blue wall was very well organised and I always give credit for that. They defended very well. After the goal, I have to say we were very good. If I have to choose a word to describe my team, I would have to say solid. All the players are motivated. They are on the bench waiting for a chance.”

SUBSTITUTES MAKE AN IMPACT
“I’m happy for them – all of them working hard, trying to be in the line-up. They are on the bench, they get one minute on the pitch and ready to give everything. I saw [Ander] Herrera on the bench, screaming, speaking, helping players and he wasn’t on the pitch. This is the group we have and the team we have.”

PATIENCE PAYS OFF
“It could be [one of those days] but the reality is that last season, for example against Bournemouth, we lost a penalty but after the penalty, we were emotionally in trouble and this time we missed a penalty and we weren’t emotionally in trouble. We kept playing and then I made the changes to intensify the dynamic in attack and to bring [on] Marcus [Rashford] who is obviously a completely different player than [Juan] Mata and then we score and Marouane [Fellaini] to play instead of Micki [Henrikh Mkhitaryan] who had a yellow card to control the aerial space in front of our box. So, I have the options, the players are giving me the answers and I’m really happy with this first month of the season.”

QUALITY MAKES THE DIFFERENCE
“The difference is the quality of our football, we're playing better and if we hadn't won this match I wouldn't have anyone to blame. The team is playing very well and I'm very confident. We are comfortable on the ball and dangerous on the counterattack. But nine points after three matches is nothing different for us because we did that last season.”

ZLATAN’S RETURN
“He will be back in January. When the market is open and people are spending money we don't. But we get a player who was fundamental for us last season. He comes to give us extra quality in the second half of the season.”

PERFECT START TO THE SEASON
“No [we couldn’t have hoped for better] but I repeat, last season was the same, but the only difference was that last season we had the results but not great performances and I think these three matches, we had the results and three very solid and compact performances.”  

Premier League: Man. United 2 Leicester City 0

Manchester United continued the winning streak in the Premier League thanks to second-half strikes from substitutes Marcus Rashford and Marouane Fellaini.

After Romelu Lukaku had seen a penalty saved after the break, Rashford got the opener in the 70th minute from Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s corner, before Fellaini added a second from close range eight minutes from time.

United did have the ball in the net inside the opening 20 minutes, Juan Mata seizing on the rebound of Lukaku’s shot, but it was ruled out when Mata was flagged offside.

The Reds had the share of possession in the first half and that was in no small part down to United’s midfield dominance against their Leicester counterparts. Although a goal was lacking for Mourinho's men, United created plenty of chances in the opening 45 minutes, which included Paul Pogba sending a couple of excellent efforts just wide and Mata forcing Kasper Schmeichel to make an impressive diving save.

United had a fantastic chance to take the lead seven minutes into the second half as referee Michael Oliver gave a penalty against Danny Simpson for handling Anthony Martial’s cross. Lukaku stepped up to take the spot-kick but couldn’t convert as Schmeichel guessed the right way to push it away.

The breakthrough came when Mkhitaryan’s corner found Rashford with pin-point accuracy and he volleyed home from 10 yards.

A second goal followed in the closing stages, when Fellaini diverted fellow substitute Jesse Lingard's shot past Schmeichel to give the hosts breathing space.

The United defence was hardly tested throughout, although David De Gea made a superb point-blank stop from Andy King in stoppage time, as the Reds recorded a third consecutive clean sheet and return to the Premier League summit.

THE LINE-UPS

United: De Gea; Valencia (c), Bailly, Jones, Blind; Matic, Pogba; Mata (Rashford 67), Mkhitaryan (Fellaini 73), Martial (Lingard 75); Lukaku.

Subs not used: Romero, Darmian, Smalling, Herrera.

Booked: Mkhitaryan

Leicester City: Schmeichel; Simpson, Morgan (c), Maguire, Fuchs; Mahrez, Ndidi, James, Albrighton (Gray 60); Okazaki (King 60), Vardy (Slimani 75).

Subs not used: Harmer, Chilwell , Amartey, Iheanacho.

Booked: James, Schmeichel

TALKING POINTS

Substitutes make the difference
Rashford, Fellaini and Lingard all made an impact from the bench, producing both goals and an assist between them. Their good work adds to some strong United substitute performances in the opening two matches of the season, where Martial twice came on to score. Rashford, who made way for Martial to start, made sure to take his chance – striking just three minutes after being introduced into the action, and United have now had six different scorers in the opening three league games.

Bolt comes to Old Trafford
Making use of his retirement from sprinting, Usain Bolt was in attendance at Old Trafford, enjoying the view from the Directors’ Box. Bolt, a massive United fan, tweeted about his visit, which included spending time with Sir Alex Ferguson and taking a closer look at last season's silverware. There had been talk about the Jamaican Sprinter taking part in next weekend’s legends match, but he is unavailable due to the injury he sustained at the World Championships in London.

WHAT'S NEXT FOR UNITED?
There is no Premier League action next weekend due to the international break, so the next outing will be in a fortnight’s time (Saturday 9 September at 17:30 BST) away at former Red Mark Hughes’ Stoke City. United have won 12 of the 18 Premier League meetings against the Potters, but were unable to beat them last season, drawing 1-1 both home and away.

Jose's Selection Hint For Busy September

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has dropped a selection hint ahead of his side’s hectic period of fixtures in September.

In his press conference ahead of Saturday's Premier League match against Leicester City, the boss revealed that he may find it difficult to rotate his strikers as much as the rest of his players in the busy upcoming run of games.

Currently, there are only three strikers in the senior squad - Romelu Lukaku, Marcus Rashford and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, although the latter is not expected to be available for selection until after Christmas. Anthony Martial could, of course, also play down the middle.

When asked by a reporter how Ibrahimovic would fit into his plans, Mourinho was eager to say that Lukaku and Rashford need not worry about their places, and that the Swede would simply be a welcome addition to his squad, with rotation in mind.

“Zlatan is going to arrive into a ready-made team,” the manager said. “He is going to arrive mid-season with the team playing in a certain way, and with players having what I call the functional links in the dynamic of the team. So, nobody should be worried with Zlatan and I think, for you, it's just a funny exercise of football brain to try to anticipate [how we are going to set up] when he comes back.

“But we are going to be a better squad [when Zlatan is fit],” Mourinho continued. “For example, if we play at the weekend, and, two days later, we play against Burton, and I want to give a rest to my two strikers. Who do I play against Burton? I have to play Rashford or Lukaku. I don't have another one to play, so I cannot give rest to my players, I cannot do rotation with them like I'm going to do with the midfield players or with the central defenders or with the wingers, so we need a striker.

“We need a striker and we have one striker just around the corner that belongs to our family, that likes to be with us and play for us, we know well and he is one of the best strikers in the world. So, the only consequence of it is that we are going to have a much better squad.”

Mourinho was then asked if he was planning to use Ibrahimovic in a similar way to which he utilised Didier Drogba in the striker's second spell at Chelsea between 2014 and 2015 - as a squad player. However, the boss was keen to emphasise that United’s new no.10 would hold an influential role in his team, not just as a bit-part player.

"I see Zlatan [being] important to the team,” said Mourinho. “I just said that my squad is better [with Zlatan in it], for sure. He's one more option, he's one more striker, he's one more experienced player, he's one more player that can play nine or 10, that can play double strikers.

“If we progress in the Champions League, or if we progress in one of the cups, we are going to be in a position where we couldn't do it only with Lukaku and Rashford, especially if I play both together,” he added. “Because if I play one and the other one is on the bench, okay, but I'm playing with both, so if I play with both, I need a striker. 

"So probably in January I [would have been] knocking on Ed Woodward's door asking for a striker, but I don't need to knock on the door, because I already have one of the best in the world."

Mkhitaryan Still Wary Of Home Pitfalls

While he expects Leicester City to provide difficult opposition on Saturday, Henrikh Mkhitaryan is confident United can avoid the pitfalls which punctured the Reds' Old Trafford form last season.

United were held to 10 draws in 19 home Premier League games in 2016/17 but, having opened the new season with a comprehensive 4-0 drubbing of West Ham United in M16, Armenian schemer Mkhitaryan expects an upturn in fortunes on home turf this time around.

"I think, this year, we are going to have more wins," Henrikh told United Review. "Last year, we drew too many games and that was the problem. We could create many chances to score, but we couldn’t; I don’t know, maybe we had no luck, or maybe the luck was more in Europa League games but, this year, we are focused on improving that aspect: to win the games, and to not have too many draws."

Having followed the win over West Ham with an equally emphatic 4-0 success at Swansea City last weekend, the Reds have made a perfect start to the new season. Not that Jose Mourinho's men are getting carried away, according to Mkhitaryan.

"It’s a very good start, but we still have to play 36 games," he said. "Every game is a new game, and it doesn’t matter about what we have done before.

"Now we are going to play Leicester and it won’t be easy because they have started very well as well. Of course, they lost the first game 4-3 [at Arsenal] but they were amazing. In the second game [against Brighton], they won 2-0, so it’s going to be very hard. It’s always tough to play Leicester, they are very good and they are playing very well.

"Of course, for us, we have a big responsibility because we are the first in the table after two games, but we will try to win the third game, and to make sure everything goes very well."

Mourinho Discusses Ibrahimovic Comeback

Jose Mourinho is refusing to set a timeframe for Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s return to action with Manchester United but hopes the striker will boost the squad after Christmas.

Ibrahimovic signed a one-year contract with the Reds on Thursday and is on the road to recovery after sustaining a knee injury that ended his 2016/17 season prematurely.

The topic dominated the start of Mourinho’s pre-match press conference on Friday, during which the manager confirmed the Swedish front-man would be included in his Champions League squad.

"He will not be ready for the group phase of the Champions League," the boss said. "I don't think there will be any chance of that. 

"Do we have space in the Champions League list to have him? Yes, we have, so we don't need to leave any player outside the Champions League list. But I'm not thinking with Zlatan to play any part in the group phase.
Hopefully, he can play in the knockout phase but, for that, we need to finish [in the] top two."

Asked when Zlatan could realistically return, Mourinho replied: "I don't want to think about it. I don't even ask, I don't speak with him about it, I don't speak with the medical team about it. I just think he will be an extra man for us in the second part of the season.
 
"When I say second part of the season, normally we say January, after Christmas, when the transfer window re-opens in January. But I have no idea at all and I think the right way is not even to think about it and just let him do his work, step by step and come back when he's really ready."

Mourinho is delighted to have secured Ibrahimovic’s services and praised the 35-year-old for his desire and determination to recover and play a part in United’s season.

"I'm really happy he's with us because it shows me the dimension of the player and the dimension of the club," the manager continued. "The dimension of the player because it would be very easy for him to say goodbye, to say it's enough, one European competition, success at Manchester United, big injury, goodbye. He doesn't do that. 

"He wants to follow his other dreams and he wants to play football at the highest level, so it shows the dimension of character and personality of the player.

"And it shows the dimension of the club – a club like Manchester United, in my opinion, has to show how big it is in details and this is a big, big detail. A player that gets injured in a Manchester United shirt, fighting for Manchester United, the club has to be there for him and I'm really happy with both club and player."

Jose's Injury Update On Rojo, Shaw & Young

Jose Mourinho has reported Ashley Young is closer to full fitness than Luke Shaw, after both long-term absentees returned to action with Manchester United’s Under-23s on Monday.

The two Reds played for 59 minutes in the 1-1 draw against Swansea City’s youth side at Leigh Sports Village, stepping up their individual comebacks following a summer of hard work in rehabilitation. It is a big boost to the manager with plenty of fixtures to come in September, although neither man is ready just yet.

Both Young and Shaw were pictured training with the first-team on Tuesday morning, alongside another of the club’s injured players Marcos Rojo. The Argentina international has been missing with a knee problem since March and the manager provided an update on his progress while speaking to MUTV on Friday. 

"Young will be earlier than Luke," said Jose. "There are seven matches to play in September in three different competitions, sometimes just two days between matches, so we need our squad. We need everyone."

Expanding on Rojo, the boss continued: “Again, there is no rush. When I see him run, I like it. It doesn’t look like somebody with an injury. There is no limping, there are no details of injury, but that is just body language, that is just straight running. Football is different, we have to respect the timings and the timings are bringing Marcos to the team around December, not before.”

Mourinho: Why Mkhitaryan Will Get Better

Henrikh Mkhitaryan has been tipped by Jose Mourinho to enjoy a much-improved second season at Manchester United, now that the player and manager fully understand one another.

The Armenia international signed for the Reds from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2016 but experienced a slow start to his Old Trafford career, registering only five appearances in the opening three months of the season as Mourinho helped him adapt to English football.

However, once he got going in November, Micki truly flourished and finished the campaign as one of United’s outstanding performances with 11 goals from 41 appearances across all competitions, a tally which included his deft finish in the Europa League final victory over Ajax in May.

After a successful pre-season tour, Mkhitaryan has hit the ground running in 2017/18 and claimed four assists in the consecutive Premier League 4-0 wins over West Ham United and Swansea City.

Speaking at his weekly press conference at the Aon Training Complex on Friday, Mourinho provided his opinion on why the player has made such an impressive start to his second campaign in red.

“He understands me and, to be honest, I understand him,” Jose said. “In the beginning of last season, if he understood me better, then he would have started better. But, at the same time, if I understood him better, I would probably have helped him in a faster way than I did. We spent our time together, working together, learning [about] each other. I know him well, he knows me well, and the second part of the season was good for him. I believe, with his talent, that this season is going to be even better.”

The boss was then asked if there is a similar situation with Anthony Martial, our France international who has already scored twice and claimed an assist from two substitutes appearances – which suggests the 21-year-old prospect will improve on his 2016/17 record of eight strikes in 42 games.

“When you have some talent, you cannot waste it,” the manager said. “When you're blessed with some talent, you have to fulfil that talent, you have to explore that talent, you cannot be happy just with glimpses of talent and that I'm not going to change. 

"I want more and more and more from him because he has all the qualities for that. But he understands me better too and the personal relationship is good. I don't think it's fundamental in a player-manager relation, but it's a good thing to have a good relationship. Anthony, I hope he is going to be better this season than last season.”

Pogba Wins Europa League Player Award

Paul Pogba has won the UEFA Europa League Player of the Season award for 2016/17 after helping Manchester United win the trophy.

The French midfielder was awarded the inaugural prize at a ceremony in Monaco on Friday, having been chosen by a panel of judges that consisted of every manager who was involved in the group stage of the Europa League, plus 55 journalists.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Zlatan Ibrahimovic were also shortlisted for their impressive contributions during United's journey to success in Stockholm, while Marcus Rashford finished fifth in the overall poll and Ander Herrera was joint-seventh.

"Thank you," said Pogba, who did not attend the ceremony but collected his award earlier this week. "I'm really honoured to be the first to win the best player for the UEFA Europa League. Hopefully this season will be as good as last season – let's see!"

Pogba started all 15 of United's games in the competition last term and scored three goals – netting twice in the 4-1 victory over Fenerbahce at Old Trafford in the group stages and opening the scoring in the 2-0 win over AFC Ajax in May's final.

The 24-year-old's inspirational performances were instrumental in Jose Mourinho's men winning the competition for the first time, completing the club's collection of major trophies in the process.

He was also one of eight United players named in UEFA's Europa League squad of the tournament, alongside Sergio Romero, Antonio Valencia, Eric Bailly, Daley Blind, Herrera, Mkhitaryan and Ibrahimovic.

Pogba has begun this season in explosive form with two goals in United's first two Premier League games and was named Man of the Match against Swansea City. He has also netted four times in his last five appearances for the Reds, ahead of Saturday's match against Leicester City at Old Trafford. 

Merson: United Better Without Ibra

Paul Merson believes Manchester United are a better side without Zlatan Ibrahimovic and are more likely to win the Premier League without him.

The Swede, who signed a one-year deal with United on Thursday, scored 28 goals last season in all competitions, before his initial one-year deal came to an end.

But Merson believes United are a different side this season, particularly with new striker Romelu Lukaku, and insists Ibrahimovic slowed things down in the final third for Jose Mourinho's side.

Merson said on The Debate: "This man is a legend, I don't use that word loosely, he's an absolute legend, he's won titles in seven different countries, you don't do that by luck. But as time moves on now, Manchester United are a better team without him in it, and they've got a better chance of winning the Premier League without him.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm a massive fan of this lad over the years, I think he's been phenomenal.

"People said he was great last year, scored 28 goals, but Manchester United never looked like winning the Premier League last year.

"You look at them now, with him out of the team, you've got Paul Pogba, Romelu Lukaku, Marcus Rashford going forward, you've got Henrikh Mkhitaryan putting balls through the eye of a needle. They're playing 100mph, and so far nobody can live with them.

"That wasn't them last season, they were too slow. Le Tiss and I have played No 10, and you need pace up front [in front of you], and if you haven't got pace, it's pointless playing a No 10, because there's not a lot you can do."

Ibrahimovic is still recovering from a serious knee injury, which cut short a superb debut season at Old Trafford in April.

The 35-year-old has posted regular, positive bulletins on his progress, and United have seen enough to sign him up until the end of the season.

But Merson also suggested that Ibrahimovic's return in the winter could have an adverse impact on Lukaku, who has hit the ground running at Old Trafford. Merse fears the Belgium international could "go into his shell" if he suffers a slight dip in form and is replaced by Ibrahimovic.

"Lukaku is top man now, you can see it on the pitch. That's going to change! He's got a big presence, Ibrahimovic, and he hasn't gone to United to sit on the bench.

"If Lukaku goes a couple games without scoring, the fans will be cheering Zlatan's name, and Lukaku could go into his shell, and we saw that last season in big football matches for Everton, he went into his shell.

"I don't think he's gone there to fizzle out and finish his career. When you watch them at the moment, United are a completely different side to last season. They break with real pace.

"Last season Zlatan was good, but nobody else was. That doesn't win you the Premier League, everybody has to be good. I just think he slowed the game down last season."

Credit: Skysports.com

Pogba 'Honoured' To Be Part Of UEFA Equality Campaign

Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba is thrilled to be a part of UEFA's new Respect campaign promoting greater inclusion, diversity and accessibility in football.

Pogba joined UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin to support the #EqualGame campaign - which has evolved from UEFA's 'No to Racism' initiative - ahead of Thursday's Champions League group stage draw.

Combating racism remains a fundamental part of UEFA's #EqualGame campaign, which now includes all forms of discrimination.

The initiative has the support of La Liga stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as well as Lyon and Norway Women's striker Ada Hegerberg.

Pogba, who arrived at the Monaco event with the hashtag #Equal shaved into his hair, said: "It's all about respect, all about equality everywhere in the world. We're all equal when we play football.

"This campaign, I'm really honoured to do it. We do what we love on the pitch and that's the message we want to give to everyone.

"Outside the pitch you're just you, I'm just Paul, normal Paul. We're human beings. We're not gods. We're just normal people who should respect each other because we're all equal.

"The message we can give on the pitch and outside the pitch can help the world."

UEFA president Ceferin arrived at the event wearing a T-shirt adorned with the slogan "Everyone can enjoy football, no matter who you are, where you're from or how you play".

The Slovenian insisted campaigns were all very well but insists UEFA will take action where necessary to tackle discrimination in football.

He said: "If you want to be a social fair play organisation you have to clearly say no to racism, to sexism, to homophobia, to any discrimination, to discrimination of disabled people or any other.

"The important thing is that you act. That you don't just make TV spots. It's much more than just football; our power has to be used."

Credit: Skysports.com

Henry: Ibra Wants To Conquer PL

Thierry Henry believes Zlatan Ibrahimovic is still desperate to conquer England by winning the Premier League with Manchester United.

The Swede, who signed a one-year deal with United on Thursday, scored 28 goals last season, before his initial one-year deal came to an end.

United finished sixth in the Premier League, though they did win the League Cup and Europa League, and Henry told Sky Sports that Ibrahimovic will be aiming to win the title this season for Jose Mourinho's side, who have won both opening league games 4-0.

"They kept Zlatan, but I think Zlatan takes it as a challenge that he has with himself. I think he wants to do more, and he still didn't win the league.

"I know that he wants to win the Premier League, to make England another country that he conquered."

"I'm not surprised, because if I was there [at Man Utd] I would want to keep a guy like Zlatan in and around the dressing room.

"Having him around (Romelu) Lukaku, having him around Marcus Rashford [is beneficial]. Rashford was talking about it last year, he knows how to get that dressing room together.

"I'm not surprised in a way because we are talking about Zlatan Ibrahimovic, one of the best that has done it in the game, for me."

Ibrahimovic is still recovering from a serious knee injury, which cut short a superb debut season at Old Trafford in April.

The 35-year-old has posted regular, positive bulletins on his progress, and United have seen enough to sign him up until the end of the season.

He may not return until winter, but Henry believes he will work hard to gain full fitness for United for the second half of the season.

"First and foremost he already showed us that he can still perform," Henry said. "Yes, there may be a question mark with some people asking if he will return to what he was [before the injury], I have no doubt that he will.

"I know the man, and I know how he is going to work. He showed us with a couple of moves on social media, that his knee is alright. So I have no doubt with that.

"But what is important is to have a guy like that around the place. He knows what it takes to win."

Credit: Skysports.com

United Can Sign Off In Style

After back-to-back 4-0 wins, the Premier League season couldn’t have started much better for Manchester United.

The rampant Reds saw off West Ham with ease at the Theatre of Dreams on the opening weekend, before patience paid off against Swansea as a devastating spell of three goals in four minutes late on at the Liberty Stadium sealed another resounding victory.

Jose Mourinho's men have already issued a huge early statement of intent in a bid to win the club's first league title since 2013 and up next is a team who experienced the unique euphoria of being champions for the first time just two years ago.

United welcome Leicester City to Old Trafford this weekend and will be desperate to bank another three points and put in another positive performance before the top flight is put on hold for a fortnight during the international break.

Ironically, after two four-goal wins without reply, the corresponding fixture last term was the only league game in which the Reds hit four as a blistering first-half display swept aside a Foxes team who were devoid of confidence and struggled with the weight of expectation following their astonishing title triumph.

After staving off the threat of relegation last term, the rejuvenated East Midlanders have made a steady start to the new season – their first full campaign under Craig Shakespeare's stewardship – and were unfortunate to lose 4-3, having led 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium, in the curtain-raiser to 2017/18 after worrying the Arsenal defence throughout.

It has got better since as Leicester earned a dominant 2-0 win over newly-promoted Brighton at the King Power Stadium last weekend before securing their place in the Carabao Cup third round by seeing off Championship side Sheffield United 4-1 at Bramall Lane on Tuesday night.

But Leicester, who lost all three meetings with United last season under their title-winning manager Claudio Ranieri, will find it much tougher against a water-tight Reds defence which has yet to concede a goal so far - with Phil Jones and Eric Bailly performing well as the preferred centre-back pairing.

The atmosphere against the Hammers was electric and will no doubt be the same on Saturday evening, such is the positivity running through the club right now. United fans have had plenty to cheer about so far and will be hoping for more of the same.

Everything is looking rosy for United so far, with a number of positives to take from the opening two games – late goals, a free-scoring attack, substitutes making an impact, a solid defensive shape and players standing out.

Everybody has played their part so far and United have benefited from having a settled team, which could be chosen for a third successive match against the Foxes. As a result of the Reds' impressive form, a number of players who were instrumental to last season's success have had to watch on from the sidelines – which only emphasises the strength in depth at Mourinho’s disposal.

As always, United will have one eye on what is happening elsewhere across another busy weekend but four of last season's top five will play on Sunday.

Manchester City are the only other likely title rivals in action on Saturday when they make the long trip to Bournemouth for the lunchtime game. Pep Guardiola's side will be looking to bounce back after Monday's stormy 1-1 draw at home to Everton, in which both sides ended with 10 men. But the Reds will benefit from the fact that points will be dropped at Anfield, where Liverpool welcome Arsenal for an early-season heavyweight clash.

Elsewhere, Tottenham will be hoping to recover from last weekend's defeat by Chelsea when Burnley visit Wembley. While across the capital, Antonio Conte's reigning champions will be aiming for their first home win of the season against a new-look Everton side, who have won four of their five games in all competitions so far.

Heading into the third weekend, United are one of only three teams to still boast a 100 per cent record – along with surprise packages Huddersfield Town and West Bromwich Albion – but Mourinho isn’t getting carried away just yet and will know that tougher tests lie ahead.

The table-topping Reds, nevertheless, will be hoping to maintain the momentum and continue to set the early pace by signing off the first month of the season in style.

THIS WEEKEND'S OTHER FIXTURES

Saturday 26 August (15:00 BST unless stated)
Bournemouth v Manchester City (12:30)
Crystal Palace v Swansea City
Huddersfield Town v Southampton
Newcastle United v West Ham United
Watford v Brighton

Sunday 27 August
West Bromwich Albion v Stoke City (13:30)
Chelsea v Everton (13:30)
Liverpool v Arsenal (16:00)
Tottenham Hotspur v Burnley (16:00)

Ten Things We Have Learned From #Zlat10

There have been few footballers as driven, talented and entertaining as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and Manchester United fans everywhere were delighted to hear the news of the striker's new one-year contract with the club, which was announced on Thursday.

ManUtd.com's Gemma Thompson travelled to Monaco to interview the Swede for MUTV, to find out how his recovery from a knee injury is coming along and to learn more about Zlatan's ambitions to build on a memorable first season with the Reds, which yielded three trophies and a top-scoring figure of 28 goals.

After spending a day with the 35-year-old, these are the 10 things she learned about life with Zlatan...

1. OUR NEW NO.10
If we're counting down our top 10 learnings on Zlatan then the first place to start is his new shirt number, which is, rather aptly, the no.10 jersey. "So the thing is I never left, I just upgraded my number!" he joked. "There are big things coming and I am taking over the number from another great number 10 – Wazza. I have only positive and great things to say about him. He is a great person off the pitch and on the field, everyone knows what he did and what he is doing. I am just happy to take over the number 10 jersey."

2. WEARING THE RED SHIRT AGAIN
Ibrahimovic's journey with the club is continuing and the man himself can't wait: "This was part of my plan, to stay with United. I’ve had a little break for a small injury and as soon as I’m ready I’ll be back wearing the red shirt and will continue what I was doing from last season. I’m motivated, I’m pumped and I look forward to the moment when I walk out at Old Trafford and see the people standing up, and when I score my goal that will be the moment I will enjoy most."

3. MOURINHO IS A WINNER
Zlatan is relishing the chance to carry on his work with former boss Jose Mourinho. The pair worked together at Inter Milan and their relationship has been strong ever since. "What he has brought to the club and the team is the winning mentality," explained Zlatan. "He knows what he is doing. He has been doing this before and wherever he went he won. He’s a winner and I’m happy to be in that environment, that is what I stand for and what I like to be around."

4. BECOMING BETTER
He's won 33 major trophies and scored hundreds of goals, but Ibra insists the best is still to come. "I feel good. I have trained every day since I had my knee operated on, there is no vacation," he revealed. "It’s a new challenge for me obviously but I am strong mentally and when I focus on an objective nothing can stop me. It doesn’t matter what’s in my way I will break everything to reach my goal. When I come back to play football on the field I will be better than before. I am not coming back because I am the one I am, I am coming back to be a better version of the old one. Imagine how that will be!"

5. INSPIRED BY HISTORY
I asked the 35-year-old how it felt to see legends like Sir Bobby Charlton and Sir Alex Ferguson around the club, and the influence they have on the current squad of Reds. "They are a big inspiration and motivation for everyone for what they stand for and what they did for the club," insisted Zlatan. "What they’ve done remains in the history [of the club] and that’s why we are all here, to make history that will remain."

6. MANCHESTER'S PASSION FOR FOOTBALL
After only a few months living in our great city, Ibra found out exactly what football and United means to the people of Manchester. "It’s amazing, the passion for it… wherever you go you see a fan, and the thing is with United we have fans everywhere. So when I walk into the city I always see a red shirt. Hearing them talk about their club, talking about yourself, the players... you see that they have a big passion for football and that gives you extra motivation and extra happiness. When I see City fans, or when they see me, they turn into United fans, so that is a great thing that has happened to the city!"

7. THE PERFECT MATCH
Last season's top scorer took to life at United like a duck to water and he believes it was the perfect match from the off: "Absolutely. I think the shirt fits me very well and I’ve made the shirt shine very well. I think this shirt was made for me. It could have been worn a long time before but there is always a moment when it’s supposed to happen."

8. GREAT THINGS LIE AHEAD
After playing his part in three trophy triumphs last season, Zlatan is confident more success is to come. "We have to remember the second year of Mourinho is always the best one," he declared. "This year will be very exciting and with these new players the team is stronger and I expect us to do great things. I think the pressure is even higher from last season and with the new players the team is better. We lost Rooney which is a big loss, but with the three new players, I think the team is stronger than last season."

9. TROPHY TARGET
The Reds claimed three out of five trophies last term and Zlatan maintains that every trophy is important. "We cannot focus on one and leave the rest unfocused, we focus on everything to keep the mentality stable. The aim is the same as last season, we go for every trophy we play for. That is what I came to United for, to lift these trophies and have those happy moments. This is something I used to see when I saw Manchester United. The hard work we are putting down means the results will come in the end."

10. MESSAGE FOR THE FANS
Ibra's interview ended with a simple message to the supporters: "I’m coming to finish what I started."

We all look forward to that Zlatan!

Credit: Manutd.com

United Discover Champions League Rivals

Manchester United's return to the Champions League pits the Reds in Group A, alongside Benfica, Basel and CSKA Moscow.

Jose Mourinho's men earned a place in the elite continental competition by winning the Europa League last term and will be eagerly awaiting special nights at Old Trafford and beyond.

Top seeds Benfica, the club's opponents 50 seasons ago in the European Cup final – one of nine competitive meetings between the teams – sold defender Victor Lindelof to United in the summer while another new boy, Nemanja Matic, also plied his trade for the Lisbon giants. Reds boss Mourinho was Benfica coach in 2000, after previously serving as assistant boss.

Swiss champions Basel beat Sir Alex's team in 2011, knocking United out of the competition, and the Reds have won only one of four previous clashes with the club so there will be no underestimating Raphael Wicky's side.

The final team drawn out by Francesco Totti and Andriy Shevchenko were CSKA Moscow with a return to the city where United last won the trophy in 2008.

Group A: Benfica, Manchester United, Basel, CSKA Moscow.
Group B: Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Anderlecht, Celtic.
Group C: Chelsea, Atletico Madrid, Roma, Qarabag.
Group D: Juventus, Barcelona, Olympiacos, Sporting Lisbon.
Group E: Spartak Moscow, Sevilla, Liverpool, Maribor.
Group F: Shakhtar Donetsk, Manchester City, Napoli, Feyenoord.
Group G: Monaco, Porto, Besiktas, RB Leipzig.
Group H: Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Tottenham Hotspur, Apoel Nicosia.

GROUP A FIXTURE DATES
Tuesday 12 September: United v Basel, Benfica v CSKA Moscow
Wednesday 27 September: CSKA Moscow v United, Basel v Benfica
Wednesday 18 October: Benfica v United, CSKA Moscow v Basel
Tuesday 31 October: United v Benfica, Basel v CSKA Moscow
Wednesday 22 November: Basel v United, CSKA Moscow v Benfica
Tuesday 5 December: United v CSKA Moscow, Benfica v Basel

Zlatan's Top 20 Moments In 2016/17

Zlatan Ibrahimovic was never far from a back-page headline during his incredible first season at Manchester United.

Aside from his remarkable haul of 28 goals in all competitions, the super Swede commanded equal attention off the pitch, with his witty one-liners proving popular with fans and journalists alike in England.

Following the news about his new contract, watch highlights of Zlatan's memorable first year at United in the video above and read on for our look at 20 Zlatan-inspired moments that really got people talking in 2016/17...

1. "It’s Zlatan Time"
Ibrahimovic's arrival in Manchester was an expectedly high-profile affair and proved to be one of the biggest moments of the summer. In typical Zlatan fashion, a great quote wasn't far behind, with the striker quoted in Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet as saying: "I admire Eric Cantona, but I won't be King of Manchester. I will be God of Manchester." How's that for confidence?

2. Arriving in style
Just 12 days later, fans got a first glimpse of United's new striker in action, during a pre-season friendly against Galatasaray in Ibrahimovic's home country. What followed was a moment of brilliance, as Zlatan announced his arrival with a superb acrobatic effort in an eventual 5-2 win. Not a bad introduction!

3. The first of many
There may have been a few new faces on the pitch when the Reds met then-champions Leicester at Wembley, but this was a case of classic United, as Zlatan headed home a late winner to secure the Community Shield. And his start to life at the club would get better yet...

4. "Next time, pass to me!"
After scoring on his Premier League bow against Bournemouth, Zlatan found the net twice on his home debut against Southampton, but wasn't satisfied with his tally for the night. "Next time, pass to me," he jokingly told Paul Pogba after the game, after being named Man of the Match.

5. Four in four
At the start of September, Ibrahimovic scored against Manchester City to become the third player to net four goals in his first four Premier League appearances for United, after Louis Saha and Robin van Persie. His volley became the most talked about moment of the season, prompting 32,000 tweets per minute on Twitter.

6. More major milestones
United's trip to Swansea in November proved an important day for Zlatan. Not only did the Reds win 3-1 thanks to two goals from the Swede, but his strikes sent more records tumbling. His first was the 25,000th goal of the Premier League era, while his second was the 400th of his career. "I thought it was just me who had scored 25,000!" he said afterwards.

7. Status set in stone
Two weeks later, it was announced that Ibrahimovic would have a statue built in his honour at the Friends Arena in Stockholm, after he was named Sweden's top player for the 10th consecutive year. While fans in England had been won over by his personality off the pitch, this was a concrete reminder (literally) of Zlatan's on-field successes.

8. Another last-gasp goal
Into December, then, and Zlatan delivered the perfect early Christmas present for fans during the Reds' visit to Crystal Palace. After setting up Pogba's equaliser at Selhurst Park, Ibra turned from provider into goalscorer, finishing coolly to send the travelling fans into raptures and wrap up all three points.

9. The perfect gift
It wasn't just on the pitch where the forward was spreading festive cheer. On 18 December, Ibrahimovic took some time away from his goalscoring exploits to meet Liam, a pupil from one of Manchester United Foundation's partner schools, as part of Chevrolet's 'Christmas Dreams' campaign. "Have you met the other players yet? Well, after this, you don’t need to meet anyone else," he joked. Well played, Zlatan.

10. Zlatan to the rescue
While United fans won't need reminding that any goal against Liverpool is a good one, Ibra's late strike against the Merseysiders in January - his first in the fixture - was crucial, as it saved the Reds from defeat at Old Trafford. Yet again, the big man produced on the big occasion, a sign of things to come...

11. An act of kindness
In February, Zlatan was on hand to make another youngster's day, in a moment which would draw praise from fans all over the world. Ibrahimovic joined Pogba at the Aon Training Complex to surprise Samuel, an 11-year-old United fan with cerebral palsy, and invited him to see the Reds in action against Saint-Etienne a few days later. Of course, Zlatan put on a show for one of his biggest fans...

12. Zlat-Trick!
Ibrahimovic was in fine form during United's Europa League Round of 32 first leg against Saint-Etienne at Old Trafford, netting his first hat-trick for the club, taking his tally for the season to 23. Unsurprisingly, the striker was voted Man of the Match for his performance, collecting 66 per cent of fans' votes on Twitter.

13. #Ibragram
After seeing his treble against Saint-Etienne, many fans would have woken up the next day thinking 'how can I be more like Zlatan?' Well, we asked the man himself, as Ibrahimovic took charge of the club's official Instagram account for the day to give tongue-in-cheek advice to supporters. If you haven't seen it already, it's well worth a watch.

14. Up for the cup
February's EFL Cup final between United and Southampton at Wembley saw Ibrahimovic back at his best, as the striker scored twice, including another late winner, to help the Reds to glory. His first, a stunning free-kick, was later named Goal of the Month for February. No prizes for guessing who won Player of the Month...

15. Lion King
At the start of April, in an interview with Sky Sports, Ibrahimovic was asked if he considered himself the best striker in the Premier League - cue another classic response! “Lions, they don’t compare themselves with humans,” he replied, an answer which would be picked up by every sports website and newspaper in the country.

16. The next James Bond?
"Zlatan is Zlatan. I come with what I'm able to do," Ibrahimovic said at the start of April. "I'm a little bit curious also to be an actor. Something like Bourne Identity, something like that, a secret agent. The next James Bond? Why not!" Watch this space!

17. Like a fine wine
After scoring in United's impressive 3-0 win at Sunderland in April, a strike which would unfortunately prove to be his last of the campaign, Zlatan simply said what we were all thinking. "It seems like the older I get, the more intelligent I get. You don’t waste so much energy. I feel like Benjamin Button – I was born old and I will die young."

18. "Giving up is not an option"
Zlatan's superb season at Old Trafford was cruelly cut short during United's Europa League Round of 16 second leg against Anderlecht at the end of April. Ibrahimovic, along with team-mate Marcos Rojo, suffered cruciate knee ligament damage and had to be withdrawn. He soon released a statement, however, showing the same determination he had shown on the pitch throughout the season, saying: "I will be out for a while, but giving up is not an option."

19. A grand homecoming
Fast forward one month and United had progressed to the UEFA Europa League final in Ibra's absence. While the script had seemingly been written for him to lift the trophy in his home country against his former club, Ajax, Zlatan could play no part. He did, however, come onto the pitch to celebrate the Reds' 2-0 win with the fans, scenes which have left an enduring image.

20. Remarkable progress
At the end of May, just weeks after his injury against Anderlecht, Ibrahimovic posted an update to his Instagram account, showcasing the remarkable progress he had made in recovery. A lion indeed, one whose talent on the field and humour off it left an indelible mark in 2016/17.

Zaltan: I Will Be Better Than Before

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has spoken exclusively to MUTV after agreeing a new one-year deal with Manchester United and the striker says he will be back even stronger and better than last season.

The 116-time Sweden international scored 28 goals in 46 appearances across all competitions for United last term, before picking up a knee injury which ended his season prematurely.

In his exclusive sit-down Ibrahimovic said his recovery is coming along well, insisting: "When I come back to play football on the field I will be better than before. I am not coming back because I am the one I am, I am coming back to be a better version of the old one. Imagine how that will be!"

United's new no.10 also spoke of his love for the city of Manchester and its people, his aims and ambitions for the 2017/18 campaign and he also had a special message to the fans.

"I am super happy," Zlatan told us after signing his new deal. "This was part of my plan, to stay with United. As soon as I’m ready I’ll be back wearing the red shirt and will continue what I was doing from last season.

"I’m motivated, I’m pumped and I look forward to the moment when I walk out at Old Trafford. Seeing the people standing up and when I score my goal that will be the moment I will enjoy most and what I look forward to."

Zlatan To Wear Number 10 Shirt

Manchester United is delighted to announce that Zlatan Ibrahimovic will continue his journey with the club and has signed a one-year contract. He will wear the number 10 shirt.

Ibrahimović, 35, made 46 appearances and scored 28 goals for the club during the 2016/17 campaign before suffering a knee injury, which ended his season prematurely. Zlatan has won championships in four different leagues since beginning his professional career with Malmo in 1999.

Jose Mourinho said: "We are delighted Zlatan is on the road to recovery and we are equally delighted to have his ambition and experience back with us. After his contribution last season he deserves our trust and we will be patient waiting for him to return. I have no doubt that he will be important in the second part of the season."

Zlatan Ibrahimovic said: "I am back to finish what I started. It was always mine and the club's intention for me to stay. I cannot wait to get back out on that Old Trafford pitch, but I also know that I have to take my time to make sure that I am ready. I have been working hard and will continue to do so to make sure I am in the best possible condition for my return to the pitch."

Pogba: Rooney Is A Legend

Paul Pogba says he misses former Manchester United team-mate Wayne Rooney and describes him as a "legend".

Rooney announced his retirement from international football on Wednesday with the Everton forward holding more England caps than any other outfield player, scoring 53 goals in 119 appearances.

The 31-year-old admitted he had regrets at not being part of a successful England tournament side but believed it was time to bow out and focus all his energies on helping the Toffees.

Soon after Rooney revealed he was stepping away from his England duties, United midfielder Pogba opened up on the decision made by his former Old Trafford colleague.

"You always miss a captain and a legend like him because he's got experience and he's won trophies." the Frenchman told Sky Sports News.

"It's a top player who can help the team and he's a really top player. Young players can look up to him to improve.

"We wish we can see players like him all the time on the pitch because he's respectful. He does what he loves. He's a top guy and he will always be a legend."

Credit: Skysports.com

United Most-tweeted Team Hashtag

Manchester United have the most-tweeted team hashtag in global sport, Twitter has revealed as they celebrate 10 years of the hashtag.

The social networking service has released details of those hashtags most discussed in the world of sport, with the symbol used to tag tweets on specific topics or issues. It was invented on this day in 2007.

An average of 125m hashtags are shared every day on Twitter and United's (#MUFC) is the most popular with regards to teams.

United also lead the football club hashtags, sitting ahead of second-placed #HalaMadrid (Real Madrid), #LFC (Liverpool) in third, #CFC (Chelsea) in fourth spot, with #Arsenal (Arsenal) and #FCBLive (Barcelona) rounding off the top 10.

Although #MUFC is the most-tweeted team hashtag, the most-tweeted league hashtag is the #NFL, while #Euro2016 was the most-tweeted global sporting event hashtag.

Twitter has also released the five most impactful hashtags since the social media site was invented.

#FollowTheCaptain was used when Manchester City invited fans to share their motivational words for captain Vincent Kompany's team-talk ahead of a derby against United.

#PutYourBatsOut was the hashtag as fans put their cricket bats outside their house to pay tribute to Australian cricketer Phil Hughes following his sudden death at the age of 25.

#BedforAwayFans was used online when Borussia Dortmund supporters offered travelling Monaco fans a room for the night after their Champions League tie in Germany was postponed following the explosion on the hosts' team bus.

#Pogback was used when Paul Pogba, who became the first footballer to have his own emoji on Twitter, returned to Manchester United from Juventus in what was then a world-record transfer fee.

#FCBPSG was tweeted out as Barcelona produced a remarkable comeback to beat Paris Saint-Germain 6-1 and advance to the Champions League semi-finals following a remarkable 6-5 aggregate victory.

Credit: Skysports.com

Carrick Recalls 2008 Champions League Win

As Champions League fever hits Old Trafford once again, with the draw for the 2017/18 group stage taking place on Thursday at 17:00 BST, club captain Michael Carrick relives the last time the Reds won Europe's grandest club competition: 2008's nerve-shredding penalty shootout victory over Chelsea in Moscow…

"The build-up for Moscow almost began a year earlier. We'd won the Premier League in 2006/07 and if you'd asked me beforehand, I'd have expected to have the best summer ever after that.

Instead, we lost the FA Cup final to Chelsea and that taught me a lesson: it doesn't matter what you've done, it's the next thing that counts. All summer, I just couldn't get it out of my head that we'd lost a cup final. I forgot about winning the league.

So when we reached the 2008 Champions League final and we were facing Chelsea, after we'd just won the league, it was a similar scenario. I knew the feeling it left after the FA Cup final and, in some ways, that was my biggest motivation. I was not going to let that happen again.

We took the occasion in our stride and played the first half of the game perfectly. It went as well as it possibly could and, after Cristiano [Ronaldo] scored a brilliant header, we should have been two or three up before Petr Cech made a good save from me. If I'd put it either side of him, then it was in, but it was too straight. Chelsea then scored right before half-time and that changed the course of the game. It was galling but looking back, the way we won it perhaps makes it more memorable.

Chelsea had the better of the second half and extra-time was very even so, at that point, you start to think about penalties. I started trying to get my head around taking one. Knowing how important it was and everything it meant, it was just a case of trying to simplify it. When extra-time finished and it came to it, I thought: 'This is the time.' I was almost testing myself. 'What have you got?' If I shied away from it and said no, I'd regret it. I knew I had to step up. Now or never.

I went second, after Carlos [Tevez]. I jogged from the halfway line because the walk would have taken too long! I knew what I was going to do, where I was going to put it and, thankfully, Cech dived the wrong way. That was it. I was just flooded with sheer relief, overcome by that sheer release of emotion after knowing that it's gone in.

After that, we were in trouble. Cech saved from Cristiano. I watched every penalty until JT [John Terry] stepped up for his. If he scored, then we'd lost. I don't know why, I just thought: 'I've got to do something different here,' and I started looking at the floor.

It worked!

I didn't see another penalty after that. I just relied on the reactions of the lads. I had Rio [Ferdinand] and Vida [Nemanja Vidic] next to me, their arms draped on my shoulders virtually silent. You might get the odd word or two spoken, but there's just so much tension, so much emotion, so many nerves. I'll be honest, it's a horrible, horrible feeling. The whole penalty scenario, until you win, is a disgusting feeling.

I was the last to know we'd won. In my house, I've got a sequence of pictures of all the lads reacting to Edwin [van der Sar]'s save from [Nicolas] Anelka, and as Rio and Vida and the lads are tearing off, gone, I'm stood there with my arms in the air and my head still down. I hadn't seen it, didn't know what had happened, but I just knew that we'd won. Didn't even think about it. We were European champions.

Quite a lot of the celebrations are a blur. That's not because of how much I drank, more down to being drained. The initial celebration when we sprinted from the halfway line, seeing everyone going absolutely mental, lads in their suits going as crazy as the lads who had played, the staff… it was just one of those moments that you can never forget. It was something special. But I remember after about a minute or two of going mad, screaming, shouting, jumping around, I just hit the biggest brick wall. I remember seeing my family in the crowd and saying to them: 'I need to sit down or lie down, I'm finished.' It lasted maybe 10, 20 seconds, but that's the only time I've ever felt like crying on a pitch. I didn't know whether to laugh, shout, scream, run around again or just to cry. It was a unique feeling.

Being us, we celebrated that night, flew back the next day and that was it, onto the next challenge. We won the league again the next year, won the Club World Cup, won the League Cup, almost won the Champions League again. We should have beaten Barcelona in Rome – that's the one that got away, for me – but that doesn't change what a special group of players that we had. We were absolutely relentless."

This account first appeared in Michael Carrick's testimonial programme in June

United Set For UEFA Champions League Draw

The wait is almost over to discover which opponents Manchester United will face in the group stage of this season's UEFA Champions League.

The draw will take place on Thursday at 17:00 BST in Monaco, following the completion of the two-legged play-off round on Wednesday night.

After winning the UEFA Europa League to secure a return to Europe's elite competition, the Reds will be in Pot Two and could be drawn against last season's winners Real Madrid, Bayern Munich or Juventus.

But, following last season's European success, Jose Mourinho's men do not fear anybody and fans may naturally already be dreaming about a possible place in the final in Kiev on 26 May, 2018.

With qualifying starting as early as June for some clubs, United are now one of 32 teams remaining in the UEFA Champions League, with the draw forming eight groups each consisting of four teams.

The Reds will avoid fellow Premier League teams Chelsea and Liverpool (Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur are also in Pot two) as a result of the UEFA rule that two teams from the same country cannot be drawn against each other at this stage of the competition.

Pot one contains the holders and champions of the highest-ranked European nations, while the three remaining pots are seeded by UEFA's co-efficient rankings.

Here's the breakdown of how the teams have been split up:



Pot 1: Bayern Munich, Benfica, Chelsea, Juventus, Monaco, Real Madrid, Shakhtar Donetsk, Spartak Moscow.

Pot 2: Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City, Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain, FC Porto, Sevilla.

Pot 3: Anderlecht, Besiktas, FC Basel, Liverpool, Napoli, Olympiakos, Roma, Tottenham Hotspur.

Pot 4: APOEL Nicosia, Celtic, CSKA Moscow, Feyenoord, FK Qarabag, NK Maribor, RB Leipzig, Sporting Lisbon.

The first games will take place on Tuesday 12 and Wednesday 13 September, with the group phase concluding with matchday six on Tuesday 5 and Wednesday 6 December.

Details of United's fixtures will be confirmed soon after the draw has taken place.

United Face Burton Albion In Carabao Cup

Manchester United will begin the defence of the League Cup with a third-round tie against Championship side Burton Albion at Old Trafford.

Thursday's draw, which was held in Beijing, China, revealed the 16 third-round fixtures to be played in the week beginning 18 September.

The 2017/18 League Cup is sponsored by Carabao, a Thai brand, and United will look to get off to a flyer in this season's competition against Nigel Clough's outfit, who have won one and lost three of their four league games so far this season, after surviving relegation by a single point last term.

PREVIOUS MEETING
The sides have met twice before, in the FA Cup third round in January 2006, when Sir Alex Ferguson's side were held to a shock 0-0 draw by the Brewers – who were then in the Conference – at the Pirelli Stadium, before coming through the replay 5-0 at home, with goals from Louis Saha, Giuseppe Rossi (2), Kieran Richardson and Ryan Giggs.

LAST SEASON
The Reds claimed a fifth League Cup title last season, as Jose Mourinho’s side overcame Southampton 3-2 in the final to claim a second trophy of the campaign.

United’s route to Wembley contained a couple of memorable wins, such as the 1-0 fourth-round triumph over derby rivals Manchester City and the 4-1 demolition of West Ham at Old Trafford in the fifth round. As well as that, striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic finished as the competition's joint-leading scorer with four goals.

RIVALS WATCH
Mourinho’s Reds are one of seven Premier League sides to join the draw at this stage, which comprises the 32 teams left in the competition. Here is the full draw:

West Bromwich Albion v Manchester City
Everton v Sunderland
Leicester City v Liverpool
Manchester United v Burton Albion
Brentford v Norwich City
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Bristol Rovers
Burnley v Leeds United
Arsenal v Doncaster Rovers
Bristol City v Stoke City
Reading v Swansea City
Aston Villa v Middlesbrough
Chelsea v Nottingham Forest
West Ham United v Bolton Wanderers
Crystal Palace v Huddersfield Town
Tottenham Hotspur v Barnsley or Derby County
Bournemouth v Brighton and Hove Albion

Young Is Buzzing To Be Back

Ashley Young is ready to answer Jose Mourinho's call, having returned to action from a lengthy injury lay-off with a 59-minute cameo for Manchester United's Under-23s on Monday night.

The experienced and versatile Red was joined in the Reserves side by Luke Shaw, as the pair continued to build their fitness in the 1-1 draw with Swansea City at Leigh Sports Village.

The United duo played for just under an hour and Shaw told us afterwards that Ricky Sbragia's prospects will benefit by learning from a player as accomplished as Young.

In an exclusive post-match interview with MUTV, Young admitted he is now desperate to make his first-team comeback in the coming weeks and hopes to make a positive impact when it happens.

“It’s great to be back,” Young said. “As a player, you want to be back on the pitch and it was good to get minutes under my belt. I’m feeling good, I’m feeling fit. I could’ve played longer, but I was brought off. I’ve worked hard since I had the operation done 13 weeks ago so I’m happy to be back out there.

“I’ve been training with the team for 10 days or so now,” Young continued. “So, whenever the manager calls on me, I’m ready to go. For us, it was a bit like a pre-season game, we’re obviously trying to get the win, but we wanted to get the fitness levels up too, and we’ll just take it from here.”

Next for Mourinho’s men is a Premier League clash against Leicester City at Old Trafford on Saturday, a day after Sbragia’s Reserves travel down south to face Tottenham Hotspur on Friday night, with the action live on MUTV.

Giggs: Man. United Tough To Stop

I think it was documented when the fixtures came out, while there's no easy games in the Premier League, it was a pretty good start for Manchester United and the team have delivered with two 4-0 wins.

When Jose Mourinho's sides get going they are very difficult to stop. He's done in the past and, while it's important dealing with the expectations with the media making a lot of it, managing that is something he is great at.

There's also a lot of experience within the squad and they'll all play their parts. Michael Carrick and Ashley Young haven't been involved yet but have that experience to slot back in and be trusted, while Chris Smalling and David de Gea also have that experience of winning the league.

Before the first two games I thought that the title was between Manchester City, who have the firepower, and Manchester United, who have the balance to their squad.

They look powerful with Nemanja Matic and Romelu Lukaku, but what is pleasing to see is the creative players doing well as well. Henrikh Mkhitaryan already has four assists and that will do him the world of good, so hopefully he can get back to his Dortmund form.

There's a lot of players contributing to goals which is crucial to winning the league. Juan Mata scores year-in-year-out, Antony Martial chipping in and when Marcus Rashford and Mkhitaryan join the party you've got options. You can't just rely on Lukaku.

Credit: Skysports.com

Pearce: Ibrahimovic Would Be A 'Good Alternative'

Zlatan Ibrahimovic would provide Manchester United with another "good alternative" up front this season, according to Stuart Pearce.

Ibrahimovic is reportedly ready to sign a new contract at Old Trafford after recovering from a long-term knee injury which ended his debut season in English football.

Talks are ongoing between the two parties but Sky sources understand a deal has yet to be agreed.

United released Ibrahimovic at the end of last season and subsequently replaced the Swedish striker with Romelu Lukaku, who joined Jose Mourinho's side in a £90m deal from Everton.

Pearce believes the two strikers are unlikely to start alongside each other under Jose Mourinho, but he believes Ibrahimovic would be a welcome addition to the Portuguese's squad.

"[He's] a good alternative," said Pearce. "Whether Mourinho will play them both together or just divvy them up and play one one week and one the next week, or just for certain games.

"They've got Champions League football this year, some real high-profile matches, and certainly Mourinho prioritises every bit of silverware he can get his hands on.

"Whatever it is, he likes to win things, so he's going to need a big squad of players. And this player, when he walks through the door, he demands respect and he'll get that from them there."

Ibrahimovic scored 28 goals in all competitions in his first season with Manchester United and former Everton midfielder Leon Osman is not surprised to see the Swede linked with a return to Old Trafford.

"When the injury happened and it turned out to be as significant as it was, I wasn't surprised with how it was dealt with," said Osman.

"I presumed there must have been some sort of gentleman's agreement where they said 'we want to keep you on but the wages you're on make it incredibly difficult for us to give you the contract for the next six months when you won't be playing, but we would still like to honour it when you're fit'.

"It wouldn't surprise me if that was an agreement struck up a good few months back. He's done all his rehabilitation in Manchester and now it seems as though it has come to that point."

Credit: Skysports.com