Zlatan Ibrahimovic has helped take the heat off Manchester United ’s young strikers, according to Jose Mourinho.
He has slotted straight into leading the attack, scoring four goals in his first three outings.
And Ibrahimovic can equal a 91-year-old record at Hull on Saturday by becoming only the second player after Jimmy Hanson to score in his first four games for United.
Mourinho believes the 34-year-old Swede’s arrival means there will be less pressure on youngsters Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford , both of whom were leaned on heavily last season.
Martial, 20, scored 17 times, while Rashford burst on to the scene in February as an 18-year-old with two goals on a stunning debut and kept his place for the rest of the campaign.
Mourinho thinks Ibrahimovic’s free-scoring will now allow the pair to develop without expectation being heaped on them, as happened last term.
“Last season, no Martial, no three points,” said Mourinho. “This season, no Martial goals and three victories.
“When a team isn’t playing especially well and, in the middle of that, somebody comes out of that and goes immediately to the highlight. This is a different picture. Other players are scoring goals.”
Martial was among a number of United players given permission to report back late for training after Euro 2016 duty.
Mourinho added: “I think he’s performing more than OK. He had no pre-season, he was the last to arrive, before Paul Pogba.
“I think he’s doing fine. I think he’s going to have a normal season. For a guy of his qualities, a normal season is a good season.” Rashford got his chance when Martial was injured – and took it.
“Rashford was the only option,” said the United boss. “He had to play, like Tim Fosu-Mensah and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson. There were no other players ready to play, so they came without any pressure and were more than fine.”
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