Zlatan Ibrahimovic wants to extend his Manchester United stay until 2019

In an exclusive interview with ESPN, the veteran midfielder was asked whether he thought United were any nearer to becoming a force within football again, and Carrick replied that Mourinho was helping to instill Ferguson’s mentality back at the club. Not that he started off particularly badly – in fact his debut season in 2009/10 was hugely eye-catching, as his no-nonsense wing play ushered Wayne Rooney towards his most productive ever campaign – but his very nature as a footballer led to him being cast as a symbol of a wider malaise.

Having finally drawn Henrikh Mkhitaryan from his shell, the Portuguese boss should be commended.

But Mourinho said ahead of today’s game: “He is selected”.

“Still, it was a brilliant day for the fans, the players, the staff and the manager”.

“Until the end of season, 100 per cent he is with us”. I understand that. And on top of that the goalkeeper was phenomenal.

Martial though has not responded to Mourinho’s mind games. He’s played 40 games this season at his age.

The Cherries, though, managed to hold on with ten men throughout the whole of the second half to gain an important point for their season.

Finally, though, the hosts did get a breakthrough when a shot towards goal from Valencia was deflected into the net by Rojo, his first ever Premier League goal for United.

The 31-year-old, heavily linked with a summer exit, skippers the Red Devils at Old Trafford on his first top-flight start since December.

But the 53-year-old believes that he has shown he is not the “monster” many thought he was.

“So I think I am better than you think”.

But with just 42 United appearances under his belt since, the progression that many were expecting has not materialised. Marcos Rojo could either be shifted inside into a centre-back spot so that Daley Blind can start on the left, or the Argentine may be left out altogether to rest him ahead of Thursday’s trip to Russian Federation for which Bailly is suspended.

United, unbeaten in the Premier League since October, are guaranteed to climb from sixth place with a win against Bournemouth at home today because the two teams directly above them – Liverpool and Arsenal – will play each other.

“It maybe makes it harder now because you’re expected to nearly exclusively be the player who acts as the catalyst to get the team back to where it was before”. It’s not cheap, it’s expensive. “Luke is working hard, he’s trying to improve”.

AFC Bournemouth’s first point at Old Trafford keeps them 14th on 27 points.

“I would say just details – the player that you feel can not play three matches in a row, you have to think if he can not play three, which one he rests”, Mourinho added. He was a solid 7/10 performer against a Bournemouth side who were on the back foot for long spells. Today brought his weekly Friday press conference, and with it a ton of great soundbites. But it was the young left back who really had people talking. They are different players.

“That’s the pride element of knowing how good you are at your peak and as that steady decline comes it’s not letting it go too far”. The squad will be even stronger next season so I wonder if Zlatan will be a regular or if he’d be happy to spend some time on the bench.