Zlatan Ibrahimovic: Manchester United Has to Keep Winning

The game was heading into extra time but Ibrahimovic had other ideas, meeting Ander Herrera’s cross with a bullet header in the 87th minute. I just want to win the match. I feel like an animal. The lion is born a lion. I feel in good shape.

“So I think the best team on the pitch will win and it will not depend on motivations because I don’t think that they are more motivated than us”, he added.

The 65-year-old Italian is set to receive £3m as part of his severance package from Leicester, having been sacked six months into a new four-year deal…

“I told you at my last press conference that the questions you are asking me were questions for him”.

And Scholes says it is the manager’s prerogative to do that based on what he sees at close quarters.

“Yes. He has told us and I think everyone realises how important it is”, the Spain worldwide told Sky Sports when asked if his side considered the trophy to be important. Mata and Mkhitaryan connected well to give the Armenian his second European goal for United and 5th of the season, but he was withdrawn in favour of Rashford shortly afterwards after picking up a hamstring injury during the scoring of the goal.

As his players cavorted around with their medals on Sunday, dancing around the trophy amid the champagne spray and confetti, Jose Mourinho stood back from the partying.

Asked whether the only way was down if he left Old Trafford, he said: “For me, or the club?”

“He did not make the trip because I’m playing with Daley Blind, with Marcos Rojo, with Darmian, and all of them are playing a way I like a full-back to play”, Mourinho said in Saint-Etienne on Tuesday. In Champions League games against English teams it never quite happened for him. Somebody made up a story that if they don’t qualify for the Champions League I will not extend. “It has nothing to do with that”. Ibrahimovic replied with a twinkle in his eye: “Me or the club?” “It is one less competition that we delete from our mind”, he said.

Why so apathetic? “It is important for the fans, for the club, for the players”, Mourinho said.

“I will play as long as I can bring results”.

Ibrahimovic believes he is improving with age. “This season I know it’s hard, but the reality is we have to try to fight for more”.

“But I think at the same time it is good for us to realise how football is, and we need to adapt to it”.

“This is what I came for, I came to win and I am winning”. I think they will go for sure. The truth is that Jose Mourinho and Manchester United, for all their recent good form, still sit sixth in the table and the players have been unable to finish off teams despite being ahead.