Cometh the EFL final, cometh Zlatan.
Manchester United won their second piece of silverware this season and the had Zlatan Ibrahimovic to thank for it. Again and again.
The Swedish striker wrapped in a super, first-half free to put United 1-0 up. Then, with United pegged back to 2-2, Ibrahimovic powered a fine header past Fraser Forster in the Saints goal to win it.
The 3-2 victory delivered Ibrahimovic his 32nd major trophy in professional football and, he says, each one is getting sweeter with age.
Following the game, the 35-year-old was quick to heap praise on his teammates when everyone was heaping praise on him. He told Sky Sports:
“I got the opportunity and scored. It was a fantastic cross from Ander Herrera.
“This is a team effort. This is not about the individual. This is collective.
“This is what I came for. I came to win and I’m winning.”
Zlatan paying credit to Herrera.
Proper order pic.twitter.com/SezzenIgBG— Pat McCarry (@patmccarry) February 26, 2017
Of course, for a man with Ibrahimovic’s self-confidence, he was not shy in having a pop at those that said, after his move to England last summer, that he was past it. He declared:
“This is what I predicted. Everything I thought would happen. The only thing was that the other ones didn’t see it so I came here to show them what I saw and what I could do, and I’m doing it. My friend, I keep going.”
26 goals and counting. Two trophies and counting.
