Sunday 5 March 2017 00:39, UK
Zlatan Ibrahimovic insists he did not intentionally elbow Tyrone Mings at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Mings appeared to stamp on Ibrahimovic in Manchester United's 1-1 draw with 10-man Bournemouth, before the Swede responded by elbowing the Cherries defender as a corner came into the penalty area.
Ibrahimovic, who missed a second-half penalty in a frustrating afternoon for Jose Mourinho's side, is adamant he intended no harm in the aerial challenge with Mings, denying it was intended as payback for the prior incident between the pair.
"With the stamp I just felt something hit me behind my neck," Ibrahimovic told Sky Sports. "With the elbow I see it clearly, I jump up, I jump high, I protect myself, same time I go for the ball and he jumps into my elbow.
"Hopefully he didn't get injured or something because my intention was not to injure, it was the opposite. It was to protect myself and go for the ball, and unlucky he jumped into the elbow. This happens many times so hopefully he didn't feel any injury.
"Listen I didn't even know he stamped on my head in that moment. I didn't even see the replay. If it was him it was him. But that isn't something I think about because all the defenders, they try to stop you and me as a striker I try to score goals."
Ibrahimovic appeared to have words with Mings in the build-up to the controversial elbow incident, but the 35-year-old striker could not recall what was said.
"No, you speak all the time," said Ibrahimovic, when asked if the incident had anything to do with the verbal exchange. "I don't know. Maybe I ask if it was him. I don't know, I don't remember. I talk a lot when I play."
Wayne Rooney insists he had a clear view as Mings trod on his United team-mate and has called for retrospective action against the 23-year-old.
When asked if he was aware of what happened, Rooney told Sky Sports: "Yes I was. I was right there. Everyone likes to go in and have tackles in the game, which has gone a lot out of the game in recent years - but to try and stamp on a player's head is wrong.
"There is no place for it. I'm sure there will be punishment after the game."
Ibrahimovic went unpunished for the elbow on Mings, with Bournemouth midfielder Andrew Surman earning a second yellow card for pushing the United striker in the resulting melee.
When asked about whether Ibrahimovic's elbow was deliberate, Rooney said: "No. I think both players have gone for the ball.
"I was out on the corner by that time. Was that the one in the box?"
When told it was Rooney said: "Yeah I was out taking the corner so I didn't see that one. I am sure if anything has happened people will have their opinions on that but the one I saw… I have been on the end of studs to the head and it is not nice.
"I am sure it will get looked at and I am sure the right result will be given. "
Mings denied any wrongdoing following the game, while also playing down Ibrahimovic's responding elbow.
When asked whether he deliberately stamped on Ibrahimovic's head, Mings told Sky Sports: "Not at all. I would never do that. That's not in my game. Hard and fair is how I like to tackle but off the ball stuff like that isn't in my game.
"He (Ibrahimovic) is who he is, he's a good player, he's a physical player. I knew what sort of battle I was going to be in for coming here. And that's what we had all day, it was a battle.
"There was maybe an elbow when the ball came in after, I didn't see it, I felt it. But what happened after that with Surman getting sent off, I didn't see it."
Mourinho confronted Mings as the player headed out of the tunnel at half time following the controversial incidents, and later weighed in on the events in his post-match interview with Sky Sports.
"The referee was there," he said, when discussing Mings' apparent stamp on Ibrahimovic. "If you asked me if I am going to be happy if Mings gets a three, four, five match ban, I really don't care about it.
"He knows what he did. He knows better than anyone. He knows better than the referee the intention or the moment or the emotion of the moment.
"I don't want to speak about it. It is not important for me. What is important to me is the result of the game."
