ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC and Romelu Lukaku can form a devastating strike partnership for Manchester United.
Boss Jose Mourinho wants to use a 3-5-2 formation so he can accommodate two up front.
It was thought it would be a case of one from Lukaku or Ibra once the Swede was fit again. Now he is, the Special One has whetted the appetites of the Old Trafford faithful by claiming they can play together. Mourinho said: “Good players can play together. It is easy to play together. This season we played so many times with two strikers, we played so many times, especially when we played three at the back.
“The wing-backs bring the second man to the centre so we can do it, we are ready to do it and we have prepared ourselves since pre-season.“In pre-season, we started doing three in the back already, so they can play together.”
Ibra revealed this week he would also like to play in a No 10 role. And nobody at United has been able to nail that position down in a 3-5-2 formation this season. Not Spanish star Juan Mata and certainly not Armenian Henrikh Mkhitaryan. So could Ibra be that man? Mourinho said: “He can play everywhere. I am excited because I have more options. I am excited because the team can be better.
“I am excited because I want to have players available but I don’t want to make a situation of Zlatan and Romelu because it can be Zlatan and Romelu. “It can be just Zlatan, it can be just Romelu, or it can be just no one. I want options and I have more options now in attack.”
Swedish superstar Ibra, 36, will be on the bench today for the visit of Newcastle as he returns to action after suffering a career-threatening knee ligament injury in April.
And Mourinho paid tribute to the former Barcelona, Juventus, Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain striker for battling his way back. He said: “Last season we played with him every minute almost until he was injured.
“This season we learn how to play without him but he’s a very important player for us and, of course, one we welcome back. He is an incredible personality to fight such an injury.
“We were all saying he will be back in 2017 but one thing is Dec 31, 2017, and another thing is mid-November.
“He was, as an injured player, the same super pro he is when he’s fit. So fantastic work. “You cannot expect him to play 90 minutes or consecutive matches like he did all his career.
“Now he needs time to get back to his level, his fitness, his confidence, his sharpness, everything.
“But from the clinical point of view, it is fantastic to be ready.”
Mourinho believes United will be a very different team now Paul Pogba is back too. The club’s record £89million buy has not played since picking up a hamstring injury in the 3-0 home win over Basel in September. But French superstar Pogba is the more likely to start, with his presence seriously missed in midfield as United slipped eight points behind Manchester City in the Premier League title race. Mourinho added: “You can clearly see Manchester United this season before Paul’s injury and after Paul’s injury.
“There are qualities in our football that influence our approach in matches, with Pogba and without Pogba, it’s as simple as that.”
If United avoid defeat against Newcastle today, they will extend their club record to 39 successive games in all competitions at home without losing.
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