Zlatan Ibrahimovic has not had many poor games for Manchester United since making the move last summer.
But one man who will be hoping to witness one of those rare off-days from the robust Red Devils powerhouse this weekend is Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher, who will be on punditry duty for one of the most eagerly anticipated Premier League clashes of the season which takes place on Sunday when United host arch-rivals Liverpool.
The last meeting of the two most successful clubs in English football was far from a classic as they played out a forgettable 0-0 draw in October.
Much of the talk in the run-up to the return fixture is based around the availability of Ibrahimovic, who missed United’s 2-0 victory over Hull in the EFL Cup midweek due to illness, and his presence will be key if Jose Mourinho is to record a tenth victory in a row in all competitions.
United’s top scorer this season with 18 goals, Ibrahimovic has quickly developed into the star man for the Mourinho-led United and, as Carragher looks ahead to the crunch tie, the former defender finds himself reminiscing of the first time he witnessed the abilities of the enigmatic Swede.
“It was the summer of 2001. Liverpool were still glowing with the success of completing a Cup treble the previous season and our preparations for a first assault on the Champions League took us to Amsterdam. It was here I first entered the world belonging to Zlatan,” Carragher writes in his Daily Mail column.
“The Amsterdam tournament was a series of prestigious friendlies and one of our games was against Ajax, who had signed a Swedish striker from Malmo.
“Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s reputation was growing around Europe. This was my first chance to see him and I wondered why there was such a fuss. He ended up doing something that night I’d never seen on a pitch before. None of us had.
“Stephane Henchoz was the unfortunate one to be on the receiving end. Ibrahimovic rolled his foot over the ball, feinted one way then darted the other and left Stephane utterly bamboozled.
“In the dressing room afterwards, we asked Stephane what had happened.
“‘I don’t know,’ he said, shaking his head. ‘I honestly don’t know. The ball was there… then it was gone!'”
Carragher goes on to admit that he remained thoroughly doubtful amid claims that the towering centre-forward was one of the greatest talents in world football.
The lack of a Champions League winner’s medal and modest success on the international stage is something that cynics still point to as they question the legacy of Ibrahimovic.
But Carragher concedes that he’s been won round as he continues to see Ibrahimovic do what many doubted he could do in succeeding in the English game.
And in praising the former Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona and Inter Milan front man, Carragher has drawn comparisons with a United legend who was known as King.
“He is box office, a 6ft 4in powerhouse with the balance of a No 10,” Carragher adds. “He is a Manchester United player in every sense, with a swagger reminiscent of Eric Cantona.
“There is a new king in town.”
