Counting Down To Zlatan's Return

When Zlatan Ibrahimovic's anticipated return to Manchester United was announced in August, it generated plenty of excitement among the club's supporters.

The prolific striker was a huge hit last season, scoring 28 goals in all competitions in his first year at Old Trafford before sustaining the serious knee injury in the Europa League against Anderlecht which ended his promising campaign prematurely.

Ibrahimovic, who celebrates his 36th birthday today (Tuesday), is still hard at work in training to ensure he makes a successful recovery. Although his return isn't around the corner just yet, Inside United, the club's official magazine, came up with five reasons why it's bound to be good news for the Reds…

PERSONNEL BOOST

Come the middle stages of the season, and certainly the latter, the wear and tear of the campaign will inevitably fray the squad. Players will pick up injuries, people will need resting. So, the arrival of a fit and fresh Zlatan will be a major boon to the squad, to help carry the fight on all fronts and share the workload.

INJECTION OF CONFIDENCE

No-one does self-confidence quite like Zlatan Ibrahimovic. When the moment comes when he walks through the door of the Aon Training Complex and greets his team-mates with that big smile and high fives all round, you just know there will be extra positive vibes bouncing around the place and that glow of Zlatan confidence radiating out to the squad.

OPTIONS UP TOP

Jose Mourinho said in the build-up to last weekend's win over Crystal Palace that he cannot afford to rest top scorer Romelu Lukaku at present, so Zlatan's return will be a welcome addition for the boss ensuring he has more striking choices at his disposal. On the pitch, it goes without saying that Zlatan has plenty to offer. Whether he is in big, physical mode or switches to tricks-and-flicks setting, our new no.10 can cause all kinds of trouble for defences, either in scoring goals himself or creating them. That might be on his own as a striker or – a mouthwatering option – up front as part of a two.

WINNING MENTALITY

In the second half of the season, the pressure ramps up as the prospect of challenging for trophies becomes a reality. There is no-one in the United squad who knows more about the process of winning silverware than Zlatan, who scored the winning goal in the League Cup final at Wembley last term. He will bring that winning mentality to bear in the final third of the season when the vice tightens, and his team-mates will all benefit from his attitude and experience of success.

HE'S ZLATAN!

And hey, we're talking about Zlatan Ibrahimovic here. He makes things happen, he writes back pages, he seems to have the football gods on his side. Fans can expect him to make his mark on the season in one way or another – more than likely with more than a dash of trademark brio.