By Dave Marshall
Manchester United have re-signed Zlatan Ibrahimovic following his remarkable recovery from knee injury suffered last term that almost ended his United career. The maverick striker joined United last summer on a free transfer after his PSG career ended, and he had a remarkable impact on English football scoring a stunning 28 goals in all competitions before he suffered a nasty injury against Anderlecht in the Europa League.
Zlatan is has returned to the club, and will form what is a deadly partnership with new signing, Romelu Lukaku who has looked excellent since his move from Everton in the close season. United have won our opening two matches of the Premier League season to lay down a marker and fans have been salivating about the tantalizing returns the Lukaku-Zlatan partnership will bring. We take a look at the probable lineup featuring the two star strikers.
Goalkeeper
David de Gea has kept two cleansheets at the beginning of the season to maintain his reputation as one of the best shotstoppers in world football. The Spaniard is the undisputed number 1 choice at the club.
Defence
In the heart of defence, Phil Jones and Eric Bailly are forming what looks like an exciting partnership. Jones is looking excellent under the management of Mourinho and is a firm favourite of the Portuguese tactician. At right back, Antonio Valencia is still king as Jose favours the Ecuadorian for his determination and grit. At left back, Daley Blind is number 1 but Luke Shaw is nearing full fitness.
Midfield
Ander Herrera is currently out of the team as Jose is using a 4-2-3-1 but the imminent signing of Zlatan and when the Swede comes to full fitness, he could be fasttracked back into the first team fold. He will be partnered as part of a midfield trio alongside Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic. The Frenchman has looked good in a more attacking role since Matic was signed to be the anchorman and enforcer of the team. The Serbian powerhouse has liberated Pogba, who struggled to live up to his massive price tag after a stunning £89m move to Old Trafford from Juventus.
Further ahead of the midfield trio, Henrikh Mkhitaryan will be the link between midfield and attack. The Armenian attacking midfielder has laid on 4 assists in the league this season already.
Attack
The signing of Zlatan and the form of Lukaku will trouble defences in Europe as the partnership has all the resources to succeed. Zlatan will help Lukaku to become better and the latter will also raise the levels of the Swede to do better despite his age.
Zlatan doesn’t like playing second fiddle to anybody, and the healthy rivalry will spur both men to extraordinary levels of performances.
Probable lineup: De Gea, Valencia, Bailly, Jones, Blind, Pogba, Matic, Herrera, Mkhitaryan, Lukaku, Ibrahimovic.
Our left side looks like something from League 2