Bournemouth 1-3 Man United: Zlatan Ibrahimovic seals win for Red Devils - 5 things we learned
The Swedish superstar has now scored on his first appearance in the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1 and Champions League
Swedish superstar Ibrahimovic scored a brilliant 64th minute goal with a low shot from 30 yards and has now scored on his first appearance in the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1 and Champions League.
It was a convincing victory for Manchester United as Jose Mourinho looks to have turned them into genuine title contenders.
Juan Mata and Wayne Rooney were also on target for United before Adam Smith pulled one back for Bournemouth on an otherwise perfect day for United.
Here's five things we learned:
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1. Jose Mourinho remains a winner
Never, in his entire managerial career stretching back to Portugal, has Mourinho lost the first league game of the season.It rarely looked anything but a United win and Mourinho has now set the standard for the rest of the Premier League.
Mourinho insists he is not afraid to say United can win the title. And no wonder when United play like this. They will take some stopping.
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2. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is going to be a sensation
Forget the age. Zlatan is a proper fully fledged superstar who is going to love the Premier League stage.Despite often being subdued, the Swedish veteran produced the best moment of the match with his 64th minute goal.
Ibrahimovic took the ball forward, Bournemouth backed off and that invited the United striker to fire a precision shot into the bottom corner.
The United bench leapt off their seats to celebrate. It’s going to be a battle of the egos this season and Zlatan is determined to make sure he takes centre stage.
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3. Don’t write off Juan Mata
Mata must have feared the worst when Mourinho took over, having been unceremoniously dumped by the Special One at Chelsea.Last Sunday, Mata was subbed on and then brought off half an hour later in the Community Shield against Leicester. Mourinho was hardly fulsome or convincing in his pre-match interview about Mata either, talking about “what he can’t give him.”
But Mata was the unlikely scorer of United’s first Premier League goal of the Mourinho era. Maybe, just maybe, Mata has a future at Old Trafford. Mata started poorly and then got better, seizing on Simon Francis’s mistake to put United ahead.
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4. New look Bournemouth
Bournemouth have made six major signings this summer - but only two start. Club record £15m signing from Liverpool Jordon Ibe makes his debut, along with 19-year-old ex-Leeds midfielder Lewis Cook.Cook looked particularly bright in midfield, his athleticism and movement made it look as if Eddie Howe has done a good deal. Ibe needs to improve his decision making but has got big potential.
It might be a difficult second season for Bournemouth, especially as Howe has gone for youth over experience. But they are always good to watch.
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5. Bournemouth don’t like Sundays
Bournemouth lost all five of the Premier League games that they played on a Sunday in the 2015-16 season.Despite the lovely sunny day down on the south coast, it ended in more disappointment for Bournemouth.
They need to make sure they don’t get on Sky very often this season…
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