Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba key to Manchester United form

By Peter Smith

Image: Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba have been directly involved in Man Utd's last seven goals

Manchester United's star summer signings Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba are playing a key role in the team's resurgence - and delivered again on Boxing Day.

The in-form pair had a hand in all three goals as United saw off David Moyes' Sunderland 3-1 at Old Trafford.

Ibrahimovic set up two and scored another himself after being played in by Pogba.

Those contributions mean the duo have been directly involved in all seven of United's goals across their past three games, after Ibrahimovic struck twice at West Brom and both found the net at Crystal Palace.

Flash Sale - £10.99 Month Pass

New customer winter madness flash sale: Sky Sports Month Pass for just £10.99

But their influence stretches back further than that.

Advertisement

United's 3-1 win at Swansea in early November appears to have been a turning point for Jose Mourinho's side - and the moment Ibrahimovic and Pogba came to the fore. 

Paul Pogba v Sunderland

Pogba Total Man Utd rank
Assists 1 2nd
Tackles 3 1st
Interceptions 5 1st
Touches 101 2nd
Total duels 12 1st
Total shots 8 1st
Shots on target 3 T1st

Prior to that game United had failed to win eight out of 13 matches in all competitions. Pogba and Ibrahimovic had contributed just two goals and one assist in seven games. But victory in south Wales has sparked a streak of eight wins and three draws in their next 11.

Also See:

Ibrahimovic and Pogba have been directly involved in 16 (66.7 per cent) of the 24 goals United have scored in that run.

Image: Zlatan Ibrahimovic celebrates his late winner against Crystal Palace

Frontman Ibrahimovic has weighed in with 11 goals and three assists. Pogba has two goals and four assists - all for the Swede.

Importantly for Mourinho and United supporters, those goals and assists have proved decisive, too. United would be 11 points worse off if it wasn't for Pogba and Ibrahimovic's interventions in the past 11 games.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic v Sunderland

Ibrahimovic Total Man Utd rank
Goals 1 T1st
Assists 2 1st
Shots 4 T2nd
Shots on target 3 T1st
Key passes 5 1st

It's an impressive impact - and, combined with the pair's early-season form, adds up to a significant contribution to United's season.

In total, 17-goal Ibrahimovic has scored 34.7 per cent of United's 49 goals across the Community Shield, Premier League, EFL Cup and Europa League. If you add Pogba's five goals to that sum, the pair account for 44.9 per cent of United's strikes.

Jose Mourinho calls Henrikh Mkhitaryan's goal 'beautiful' as Manchester United beat Sunderland 3-1 at Old Trafford

Mourinho described Pogba as the "best midfielder in the world" in an interview with French broadcaster SFR last week, while he heaped praise on Ibrahimovic following the Sunderland win.

"It matters the way he plays for us, the way he leads the team, and I'm so pleased also for him," said the manager. "It's an amazing number of goals, especially for someone who comes to the Premier League."

Both United and Mourinho's star pair have endured tough spells this season. But both the individual players and the team as a whole are hitting their stride at a key phase of the campaign.

Outbrain