UNITED Ibra: I’ll take the blame for dropping vital points
ZLATAN Ibrahimovic has dismissed the excuse that United missed out on a victory over Bournemouth because Jose Mourinho’s side are jaded.
Instead, the Swedish striker hinted complacency could have crept into the Reds’ ranks after their EFL Cup final win against Southampton.
After the highs of Wembley, United were brought crashing down to earth as struggling Bournemouth earned a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford – a result that cost the Reds a position in the Champions League berths.
United’s EFL Cup, FA Cup and Europa League campaigns have meant they’ve played 15 games in 2017 already and 43 in total this season.
Has the hectic schedule caught up on the Reds?
“I don’t know,” said Ibrahimovic. “When you don’t win a game you try to find a lot of excuses. If we had won easily nobody would even have asked if we had played a lot of games or are you tired, you are not playing well.
“We didn’t play well in the final and when you win it covers up things and the questions you want to ask. We have played a lot of games but I love to play football, it is my passion and every game I enjoy.
“It is a lot of games. But I don’t think this is an excuse. I have been doing this for 15 years and play 50-70 games a year.”
Dropping two points at home kept United at arm’s length in the top- four battle. But 26-goal Ibrahimovic, who was chief culprit as he missed chances and a penalty against Bournemouth, is convinced they’ll still make it into the elite quartet.
“The opportunity will come. We just have to keep going and when we are there I think we will stay there,” he added.
“Last week we had a fantastic week and it could be the affect of that. You saw against Southampton, maybe we were too confident, I don’t know.
“But I take the blame. I have no problem with that. You are as good as your last game. What happened before has gone. That’s the way I see it. It didn’t go good and the next game we hope to do better. I hope to do better. That is the game.
“You are being judged for every game you play and I put a lot of pressure on myself. I want to do good, I want to do more than good that is why was hard. It was a bad day.
“I take full responsibility for missing goals and missing the penalty. I have no problem with taking the blame. That is the game.
“I should have scored. We created a lot of chances. The penalty is the one I am most angry about.”