Among the many stories that emerged at the weekend to illustrate the rejuvenation of Manchester United under Jose Mourinho were a couple which focused on the influence of Zlatan Ibrahimovic at the club.
Mourinho, it was said, spotted Ibrahimovic’s wife after a recent match as he walked by the players’ lounge and told her, “Thank you for keeping your man happy here, it’s really important.”
For 83 minutes at Old Trafford on Sunday, it looked as if these stories of a happy Manchester United would simply prove the truth of Steve Archibald’s statement that “team spirit is an illusion glimpsed in victory”.
If United had lost, these anecdotes would have seemed premature, an unfortunate echo of the features that proclaimed the genius of Brendan Rodgers the weekend of a Liverpool-United fixture in 2015 which ended in defeat for his side.
But then Zlatan Ibrahimovic did what he has been doing this season, manipulating the ball into the net with an impressive header which secured a draw and gave Manchester United continued reasons to believe.
It may not have been another victory, but it was important for Manchester United not to lose as they adapt to the Jose Mourinho way.
United had created enough opportunities to believe they deserved at least a point. Simon Mignolet had produced a number of saves to deny them, but Jurgen Klopp’s side had a number of chances too.
United had been threatening in the second half when, as Ibrahimovic acknowledged, they had adapted a more direct style. By doing this, they could at least mimic elements of the Alex Ferguson way as they pressed for an equaliser and put Liverpool under pressure.
Their methods were, however, closer to the Jose Mourinho approach, but there were also reminders that this is not his side.
In defence Marcos Rojo and Phil Jones struggled under the pressure they were put under by Liverpool. After Ibrahimovic’s equaliser, as Klopp’s side searched for a winner, the counter attacks from Liverpool continued to cause problems and Roberto Firmino and Georginio Wijnaldum could have won the game.
In the final seconds, Mourinho was on the sideline telling his players to stay calm, which may be seen as easily decipherable code for don’t lose, don’t get carried away as you try to win.
“When you cannot win, you draw,” Mourinho said afterwards and he will have been encouraged that in the final minutes, his side managed to do that.
At his best, Mourinho provides the perfect combination of both, but it remains to be seen if he can find that balance at Old Trafford.
It may have been more difficult for them if Philippe Coutinho had been fit enough to start. When he was sent on in the second half, he immediately allowed Liverpool to establish a position in the United half.
United’s approach had been working until that point, even if they had also created chances in the first half while looking vulnerable.
Many of their problems centred around Paul Pogba. His first half may one day be seen as a staging post in the evolution of the modern footballer. With the advertising hoardings at Old Trafford proclaiming the Pogba hashtag, it wasn’t surprising that he may have felt he had a lot to do.
The problem was that he couldn’t do any of the things he wanted to do. Pogba was one of several United players to miss a chance, but he also gave away a penalty as United struggled with Liverpool’s set-pieces
Before the first half had ended, Mourinho was heading for the dressing-room, the man of action who couldn’t wait any longer to intervene.
Liverpool’s approach had put United’s defence and midfield under more pressure than they’d been used to in their winning run. Michael Carrick was closed down whenever he tried to get on the ball, while Ibrahimovic was a passenger, observing this game from one end of the field, except for a free-kick which Mignolet saved brilliantly.
He was not alone. Henrikh Mkhitaryan was quiet as United tried to come to terms with Liverpool’s aggression, while wondering how they hadn’t scored themselves.
Carrick was removed at half time and Rooney came on as United abandoned the idea that they would play through midfield.
Victory against Liverpool would have added to the sense that Mourinho is turning this expensively assembled squad into challengers. Defeat would have led to too many questions. A draw may keep Mourinho’s side in sixth, twelve points behind the leaders, but it was an important point. Without the presence of mind of Ibrahimovic it might have been a lot worse. Once again, Zlatan allowed Manchester United supporters to believe that all they have witnessed in recent weeks has not been an illusion.
