Super Zlatan
Ibrahimovic hat-trick puts United in sight of Europa League last 16
If Manchester United are to return to the Champions League next season, and last night’s assignment against St-Étienne suggested the Europa League may prove as taxing a route to it as the Premier League, they are likely to owe a considerable debt of gratitude to Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Ibrahimovic’s hat-trick, his 21st, 22nd and 23rd goals of an impressive debut season in England, put United in firm control of this roundof-32 tie ahead of Wednesday’s second leg in France and once again underlined the 35-year-old’s importance to the club’s hopes this term. No wonder Jose Mourinho has conceded it would be a “disaster” to lose the Swede to injury.
To put his goalscoring exploits into context, no other United player has yet to reach double figures. While Anthony Martial appears to be coming to the boil again and Marcus Rashford came off the substitutes’ bench to set up United’s second goal moments after Nolan Roux, a St-Étienne substitute, fluffed a glorious opportunity to equalise, the dependence on Ibrahimovic is clear.
Christophe Galtier, the St-Étienne coach, felt Ibrahimovic was lucky to win fouls from which he claimed his first goal with a deflected free-kick and third from the penalty spot but when the margins are tight, the big players make the difference and so it proved here.
The game was a lot closer than the scoreline suggested and Mourinho was the first to acknowledge that United were as lucky as they were relieved to depart for the interval sporting a 1-0 lead. He had sensed his players were in for a ropy first period judging by the reactions in the dressing room and warm-up before kick-off. While there was a reaction to Mourinho’s half-time rollicking, the Portuguese warned his players that they would have to show much greater focus from the last 16 if the Europa League is to remain a viable alternative route into the Champions League.
“The first half we played so bad and managed to finish it winning 1-0 when we didn’t deserve to,” the United manager said. “It was down to a lack of concentration. I had the feeling in dressing room – too noisy, too funny, too relaxed. My assistants had the feeling in warm-up with some of the guys not really focused, not having the right adrenalin in their bodies. When you don’t have that concentration it’s hard to recover it and even on touchline I felt communicating was difficult. We needed half-time.”
St-Étienne’s side may have consisted of Aston Villa and Newcastle rejects, a one-time Cardiff defender, a former Manchester City trainee and Paul Pogba’s little-known older brother, Florentin, but their determination to make their presence felt was as fierce as their raucous fans, who had sent large clouds of smoke billowing around Old Trafford by setting off flares just before kick-off. Uefa may take a dim view of such behaviour but it certainly helped to create a lively atmosphere.
Romain Hamouma’s eagerness to run at United’s defence asked numerous questions, not least of Antonio Valencia and Eric Bailly. Only a terrific block from Bailly denied Hamouma, who also set up inviting chances for Henri Saivet, on loan from Newcastle, and Kévin Monnet-Paquet that were spurned.
United had taken a rather fortuitous lead. Ibrahimovic drew a soft foul and his resulting free-kick deflected off the foot of Vincent Pajot and wrong-footed goalkeeper Stéphane Ruffier.
For all Mourinho’s complaints, United should have added to their lead. Juan Mata’s volley from Pogba’s lovely floated pass was thwarted by Ruffier. One player with whom Mourinho could not take umbrage was Martial.
One surging run that began inside his own half saw Martial weave past three players before his shot was saved and the rebound, for once, caught Ibrahimovic unawares, the ball bouncing off his left foot and over. Pogba should have scored when he headed against the crossbar but the same could be said of Roux, who, with just Sergio Romero to beat, clipped his shot over the crossbar in the 74th minute. A minute later, Ibrahimovic had his second goal and the tie turned on its head. Rashford surged to the byline and crossed, Ruffier got a touch to the ball but could only steer it into the path of Ibrahimovic to prod home.
The hat-trick arrived when the Swede collapsed under a weak challenge from Kévin Théophile-Catherine and converted the spot-kick with aplomb. “This is the decisive moment of the season,” Ibrahimovic said. “In a short time everything can change so it is important to keep working hard, get the wins we need and keep the confidence.”