Ibrahimovic inspiration keeps Man United in top-four race

Zlatan Ibrahimovic opened the scoring with a powerful strike from the edge of the box shortly before Sebastian Larsson saw red for a risky tackle on Ander Herrera.

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has insisted that his side are still fighting for a top-four finish in the Premier League following their recent 3-0 win against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

Ibrahimovic has now scored 17 times in a brilliant first season in the Premier League and has a remarkable 250 goals in the five years since he turned 30.

Jose Mourinho said Manchester United would fight for a top-four finish in the Premier League until it was “mathematically impossible” after a 3-0 victory at Sunderland on Sunday.

Manager Davis Moyes said Larsson’s red card for going in on high on Ander Herrera had killed the game. I thought about a half time change but I thought was too harsh for him, I wanted him to play a little bit more. “When you play a team that is sad, if you score first the game is nearly over because it is hard for them to react”.

United, who move above Arsenal, are four points behind fourth-placed Manchester City with one game in hand over their neighbours. Bailly believes United are lucky to have the 35-year-old spearheading their attack.

“Yes. I was expecting that because I knew the reasons why he was coming”, Mourinho told reporters in December.

United were without goalkeeper David de Gea due to a minor hip injury, with Sergio Romero deputising, but Mourinho expects the Spaniard to be fit for the visit of leaders Chelsea next Sunday.

Winning the Europa League this season may represent Manchester United’s best hope of qualifying for next season’s Champions League.

However, United’s immediate attention will be on the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final against Belgian side Anderlecht on Thursday.

Sunderland face West Ham United at the Stadium of Light on Saturday and Moyes insisted he can not ask for more from his players despite the team having won only one match since December.

Mourinho embraced Shaw and appeared to give him words of encouragement after replacing him with Daley Blind just past the hour mark, and the Portuguese said afterwards that the ex-Southampton man played well.

The Swede sealed his Man of the Match performance with an assist for Marcus Rashford’s goal in the 89th minute.