‘Sometimes God…’ – David De Gea is a huge Zlatan Ibrahimovic fan

Sweden’s 36-year-old record goal-scorer, who returned from serious knee injury for Manchester United against Newcastle United on Saturday, wasn’t left completely empty-handed at the Fotbollsgalan awards, however.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s unbroken ten-year run as Sweden’s best player came to an end on Monday when FC Krasnodar defender Andreas Granqvist won the country’s Golden Ball for 2017. Diego Simeone’s side – finalists twice in the past four seasons – have drawn four of its matches so far and appear heading to a premature exit.

After spending seven months out of action with what was a potentially career-ending injury, Zlatan Ibrahimovic returned to the field on Saturday as Manchester United beat Newcastle 4-1.

“But these are the days you have worked so hard for as a team and what you got promotion for and the excitement of going to this type of stadium”. Pep Guardiola has the vision of the Silvas, David and Bernardo, who can do that too. Instead, Ibrahimovic took to social media to reassure fans that he would be back for more; stating himself that, “lions don’t recover like humans”.

Then it also begs the question of they are ready to give up on Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

But I also know how players really feel when their position is threatened.

Former Manchester United forward Andy Cole chats with Alexis Nunes about the futures of Rashford and Martial, Jose Mourinho and a Lukaku-Ibrahimovic partnership.

With the former Barcelona and PSG man available on a free, the club decided it was a risk worth taking.

After winning two trophies in his first season, Jose Mourinho brought in Romelu Lukaku, Nemanja Matic and Victor Lindelof over the summer to help challenge for the Premier League and Champions League this season. It happened again in Basel.

‘I think at United right now we have a fantastic squad, ‘ the Spaniard added.

‘We have signed great additions to the squad.

‘I think Lukaku has got to bring that confidence as well, he’s got to fight this guy in terms of personality and ego, ‘ he said.

“Without being detrimental to the other teams in the top six, most people see the two Manchester teams as the strongest”, he said.

More changes are certain this weekend as the manager attempts to keep his players fresh. There is even now the youthful promise of Phil Foden. “Hopefully we can do great things together”.