Jose Mourinho hailed Zlatan Ibrahimovic after the veteran striker scored twice to secure Manchester United a fourth consecutive victory with a 2-0 win at West Bromwich Albion.
The United manager sang the praises of the evergreen Ibrahimovic after he struck early in each half as United moved alongside fifth-placed Tottenham on 30 points the Premier League table.
“He is doing amazingly well, even in the period when he was not scoring goals,” said Mourinho.
“He is important to us for many more reasons than the goals but in the last two matches he has scored three goals and got us six points in two away matches which is very important.
“I was expecting him to have the impact he has had this season because I knew the reasons he was coming here. He was not coming for the money or the prestige, he was just coming to enjoy his football and to play in the best league in the world.”
The 35-year-old Ibrahimovic has now scored 16 times since joining the Old Trafford club last summer and is flourishing despite being in the twilight of his career.
“I was very lucky in my career because I had a lot of players with enthusiasm and players in the last phase of their career, 35, 36, 37 and they were still magnificent in their attitude,” Mourinho added.
“But he is not just a normal player, he’s in a position where you cannot hide and just play with experience. Amazing central defenders can play until they are really older but as a striker you cannot hide and he's doing very well.
"We communicate, we exchange ideas at his situation and his feeling and up until now he is feeling great.”
Meanwhile, the Portuguese played down an altercation between Salomon Rondon and Marcos Rojo, which saw the Venezuelan striker appear to slap United’s Argentina international.
“I was happy with the decision, it was correct,” he said. “The referee did fine.”
Mourinho was clearly in a festive mood and ordered his players to throw their shirts to visiting supporters following the final whistle.
“I told them to do that,” he said. “It’s Christmas time and a shirt for a fan coming direct from the game, with sweat means a lot. For them it’s just one more shirt. It is a pity that not everyone can get one but for the ones that get it, it is great.”
Ibrahimovic put United ahead in the fifth minute when he nodded in a delightful Jesse Lingard cross and doubled the lead in the 56th minute with a shot that beat Ben Foster thanks to a deflection off Craig Dawson.
However, Albion manager Tony Pulis suggested that Ibrahimovic should have been sent off for flattening Dawson with a crude aerial challenge in the first half which had home fans screaming for his dismissal.
When asked about the incident, Pulis remain tight-lipped, stating: “Ask the 28,000 supporters what they thought. I’m not commenting on it."
Pulis revealed that he hopes to strengthen his squad during the January transfer window.
“The second goal took the wind out of us,” Pulis said. “I’m very pleased with the players’ efforts but United have some real class.
“We’re still seventh. We have to ensure we hang in there till the window opens and fingers crossed we can add one or two to the squad to keep things going in the right direction.”
AFP
Sun Dec 18 2016
MOURINHO: Ibrahimovic is important to us for many more reasons than the goals but in the last two matches he has scored three goals and got us six points in two away matches which is very important. - Filepic
MITRA lulus lebih RM95 juta untuk 11 program masyarakat India
Kesemua program yang dalam pelaksanaan itu memberi tumpuan kepada usaha memperkasakan sosioekonomi komuniti India dalam negara.
Kestabilan sosiopolitik Sabah bolehkan agihan ekonomi saksama - Juhar
Smber daya, kekayaan alam semula jadi dan potensi ekonomi dalam masyarakat dapat dibahagi dengan cara memberi peluang sama kepada rakyat.
Kenanga jangka OPR stabil 3.0 peratus pada 2025
Kenanga Investment Bank Bhd menjangka Kadar Dasar Semalaman (OPR) kekal stabil pada 3.0 peratus sepanjang 2025.
Johor sasar jumlah ternakan cecah 200,000 ekor pada 2027
Johor menyasarkan jumlah ternakan di negeri ini mencapai hingga 200,000 ekor pada 2027 setelah berjaya mencapai jumlah pengeluaran ternakan sebanyak 152,000 ekor hingga bulan lepas.
Hargai warga emas melalui penjagaan, hormat dan penglibatan - Lee Lam Thye
Lee Lam Thye menekankan keperluan mendesak untuk menghargai warga emas melalui penjagaan, hormat, dan penglibatan yang lebih baik.
Malaysia perlu bersedia penuhi keperluan TBB yang semakin meningkat - Fadillah
Keperluan tenaga boleh baharu (TBB) di negara ini semakin meningkat seiring dengan keyakinan pelabur asing khususnya untuk mewujudkan pusat-pusat data.
Belanjawan 2025: Kesalinghubungan internet di sekolah, kampus jadi keutamaan - Fahmi
Fahmi berkata ia termasuk isu Internet di kawasan terpencil, pedalaman dan pulau-pulau dalam memastikan akses Internet berkelajuan tinggi lebih meluas.
Pelajar tahfiz perlu teroka bidang teknologi
Kira-kira 200,000 pelajar tahfiz di negara ini, perlu dipastikan untuk mempunyai kemampuan dan peluang menjadi tenaga penggerak kepada umat Islam Malaysia dalam meneroka bidang yang dahulu dilihat sebagai asing., tegas Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Perpaduan rakyat prasyarat ekonomi mampan
Tidak semua negara Islam mempunyai ruang dan kesempatan untuk terus aman dan damai, dan mempunyai peluang untuk menikmati ekonomi yang kukuh dan berkembang seperti Malaysia, tegas Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Beliau berkata, rakyat Malaysia perlu mempunyai tekad untuk memahami maksud dan keperluan perpaduan di kalangan mereka, serta kekuatan dalaman yang seterusnya dapat dijadikan tonggak untuk negara membuat langkah seterusnya.
Beliau berkata, rakyat Malaysia perlu mempunyai tekad untuk memahami maksud dan keperluan perpaduan di kalangan mereka, serta kekuatan dalaman yang seterusnya dapat dijadikan tonggak untuk negara membuat langkah seterusnya.
Tidak perlu tergesa-gesa tukar ke lesen B - JPJ
Pemegang Lesen Memandu Malaysia (LMM) Kelas B2 dan B1 tidak perlu tergesa-gesa mendaftar Program Khas Peralihan LLM Kelas B2/B1 Kepada LMM Kelas B kerana tiada had masa ditetapkan untuk permohonan.
COVID-19: Perlawanan sosial remehkan SOP boleh pengaruhi Liga-M
Dijalankan mengikut norma baru, segelintir peserta bagaimanapun dikatakan gagal mematuhi prosedur operasi standard (SOP) yang ditetapkan.
[INFOGRAFIK] Rekod karier Aaron Ramsey di Arsenal
Pemain tengah Arsenal, Aaron Ramsey sudah lama berkhidmat sejak dari 2008 lagi dan di penghujung musim EPL ini beliau akan menyertai pasukan Juventus. Ini adalah rekod karier beliau.
Debar sepak mula makin terasa, semangat #webelangtogether kian membara
Penyokong Malaysia dan Thailand mula membanjiri Stadium Nasional Bukit Jalil bagi menyaksikan pertemuan separuh akhir pertama Kejohanan Bola Sepak Piala AFF Suzuki 2018 malam ini.
Ronaldo signs for Juventus from Real Madrid
Five-times world player of the year Cristiano Ronaldo has signed for Italian champions Juventus from Real Madrid.
Kenali Alireza Beiranvand, bekas gelandangan jadi wira gagalkan penalti Ronaldo
Beiranvand pernah melarikan diri dari rumah semasa kanak-kanak kerana impiannya menjadi pemain bola sepak dihalang oleh keluarga.
Former England captain Wilkins dies aged 61
Former England captain Ray Wilkins died on Wednesday in a London hospital at the age of 61 following a heart attack.
Virgil van Dijk sertai Liverpool dengan nilai 75 juta pound sterling
Pemain Southampton Virgil van Dijk sah menyertai kelab Liverpool dengan nilai 75 juta pound sterling, rekod tertinggi pernah dicatat untuk pemain pertahanan.
M'sia gagal ke pusingan akhir kejohanan AFC B-23 2016
Hasrat Malaysia meraih slot ke pusingan akhir Kejohanan Konfederasi Bola Sepak Asia (AFC) Bawah 23 2016 tidak kesampaian selepas mengalami kekalahan kedua malam tadi.
FAM ambil tindakan tegas terhadap pihak cetus kekecohan
Persatuan Bola Sepak Malaysia (FAM) akan mengambil tindakan terhadap mana-mana pihak dan individu yang mencetuskan kekecohan pada perlawanan bola sepak di negara ini.
Gerrard dinamakan Pemain Terbaik England 2012
Steven Gerrard dinamakan Pemain Terbaik England tahun 2012 selepas memenangi lebih 40 peratus undi peminat, mengikut Kesatuan Bola Sepak England.