Ibrahimovic facing three-match ban after clash with Mings

Manchester United were held to a 1-1 draw by Bournemouth on Saturday, despite having played over half of the game with an extra man after Andrew Surman’s red card at the end of the opening period.

After Marcus Rojo had put the hosts ahead early on former United trainee Josh King levelled from the spot.

Mings slid in on Wayne Rooney and then stamped on Ibrahimovic, who appeared to elbow the defender in the face at a corner seconds later.

Bournemouth’s Mings could be set for a much lengthier suspension with stamping deemed a more serious offence by FA regulations.

I think I must be the only person who thinks mings may have done that by accident. “We felt pressure of the clock running down and lost the quality of our attacking football”.

The match-winner in last weekend’s EFL Cup final, Ibrahimovic has performed majestically in his debut season in English football but he stole the show for all the wrong reasons against Bournemouth, whose manager Eddie Howe grappled with a bout of illness on the touchline throughout an ill-tempered contest.

Rooney, the all-time leading goalscorer for club and country, has started eight Premier League games this season and has not played since the start of February.

Adding to the confusion, Bournemouth’s Andy Surman was sent off following a push on Ibrahimovic, but only after United left-back Luke Shaw reminded Friend the midfielder had already been booked.

But Friend did not show him a red card until around two minutes later.

Mings insisted the contact was entirely accidental, saying: “I would never do that”. “Hard and fair is how I like to tackle but I don’t get involved in off the ball stuff”.

Friend adjudged Adam Smith to have deliberately handled Paul Pogba’s pull-back, which struck his arm at close quarters, inside the box and you would have backed Ibrahimovic to win the game from the spot.

According to Sky Sports’ James Dale, Ibrahimovic did the same as he “didn’t even know he stamped on my head in that moment”, while he said Mings jumped into his elbow. “It is not my intention to hurt someone”. On the brink of half time a fluster of United and Bournemouth players found themselves tumbling to the floor following an innocuous coming together.

I had that feeling for the rest of the game.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic had a chance to win it for United in the 71st minute but Artur Boruc saved his penalty.

A few minutes later, a square Rooney pass found Ibrahimović bearing down on goal, though a heavy touch ensured the chance went awry.

“It’s more of the same”.