Zlatan Ibrahimovic says he feels like ‘Benjamin Button’ after scoring for the 250th time since turning 30 – and Jose Mourinho agrees he is better than ever.
The Manchester United striker smashed the opener during Sunday’s 3-0 victory at Sunderland and his stunning 20-yard strike was his 28th goal of the season, and Ibrahimovic, 35, has referred to himself as the famous fictional character who gets younger with age.
‘It seems like the older I get, the more intelligent I get,’ said the Swede.
‘Of course, as I get older I can’t move as well as five or 15 years ago. But you don’t waste as much energy on things you don’t really need.
‘My game is improving, I’m getting better and better. I feel like Benjamin Button. I was born old and I will die young.’
Mourinho’s side are now unbeaten in 21 league matches, a run during which Ibrahimovic has scored 13 times.
After his talisman collected the man-of-the-match prize at the Stadium of Light, the United boss said: ‘He was very good and physically he showed amazing conditions.
‘On Thursday he will be there again. I agree he is getting better, that by the physical point of view the guy is showing all season no problems.
‘The only moment where he stopped was because of a three-match ban. Apart from that he is playing all the time and looking fit.’
United remain four points behind Manchester City in fourth, but Mourinho, in what could be construed as a dig at Arsenal, says he would prefer to qualify for the Champions League by winning the Europa League.
‘We don’t hide that we are still fighting for our situation in the Premier League but the Europa League becomes a fundamental competition for us,’ he said.
‘It is the only competition we can win now. I don’t want our club to be happy just fighting for the top four and Champions League. I want us fighting for trophies. We won the League Cup and now we fight for the Europa League, but while it is still mathematically possible, we keep fighting for the top four.
‘We know Chelsea are on holidays for a couple of days and the next match is against us. We know we go to Brussels for the Europa League and it is more difficult for us, but we keep fighting. It is a good problem.’
Source:Dailymailsport
