MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER Jose Mourinho has hinted that Zlatan Ibrahimovic could start in this weekend’s Manchester derby.
United face league leaders Manchester City on Sunday, looking to close their eight-point lead at the summit of the table.
Mourinho’s men staged a smash-and-grab at the Emirates Stadium to beat Arsenal 3-1, and did so without the Sweden international, who has been struggling with a niggling knee injury.
Ibrahimovic will miss the Champions League clash with CSKA Moscow on Tuesday, but Mourinho has suggested the 36-year-old could be back in the fold in time to face the runaway league leaders.
“Zlatan is not injured,” Mourinho said. “He sometimes needs some very hard work on the muscular area which supports (the) knee which had problems.
“When a period of hard work comes, also the fatigue comes. To work really hard for a certain period of time, he cannot play in these days, so we decided to do that after Watford (a 4-2 win last week).
“He’s on that cycle of work now, divided between gym and pitch. He’ll be out again tomorrow (Tuesday), but back to normal work after CSKA.
All other players who were out are still out. But I could make a surprise and one who isn’t available may play.”
Ibrahimovic made his return from his knee injury against Newcastle United last month, and has since made three further appearances, against Basel, Brighton and Watford.
He is yet to complete 90 minutes since his return.
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By God Mourinho really is in Tantalizing form lately! United will do Untold with Zlatan centre back. AND YOU CAN BELIEVE THAT!!
@Darragh Kelly: You realise united are second highest scorers in the premier league and top scorers in their cl group? All these lads going on about bus parking and dour football must’ve only watched about three of uniteds games this year.
@Bognor regis: come on man, everybody knows Jose parks the bus, especially in the big games, it’s not the United way regardless of what way u try to spin it. Apart from the arsenal game last week, they’ve been so hard to watch for many games.
The positive however is that they’re picking up alit more points but entertaining, certainly not.
@Paul Mallon: Everybody knows? They’ve scored 3 or more goals in ten games this season. In only the liverpool and chelsea games was the ‘bus’ parked. Granted in other games, huddersfield and stoke they didn’t play well but they didn’t park the bus. Against spurs, arsenal, chelsea and liverpool they’ve taken 7 points from 12. They’re not playing the football that city are but who is?
@Bognor regis: Liverpool are. Good man !
Mise muck, you’re muted so I can’t see what dirge you’ve come out with you dolt.
@Is mise muc gránna: funny that as city have 1 draw and 0 losses and Liverpool have 5 draws and 2 losses. Yeaaaaaa that sounds the same alright
@David Mc Nally: I hope they are found out and united smash them by 3 with lukaku answering the critics.
Thought Flembomb would’ve been on here saying Arsenal haven’t a chance if Daryl Murphy is on form!
@Joe Kennedy: whoops…..wrong article. My apologies!