Zlatan Arrives: The 2016/17 Season Gets Underway

When Ibrahimovic says he’s winning the Community Shield in his first major match for Manchester United, you better believe he’s doing it.

The Swede, never short on confidence, predicted that this would be the first trophy he would bring home to the Red Devils – and so it would be because of a header from Ibrahimovic himself, no less.

Zlatan’s 82nd-minute winner came following Lingard’s opener for United in the first half, before Jamie Vardy capitalised on an error to start the party for reigning Premier League Champions Leicester City, leveling the game back up at the start of the second half.

Ibrahimovic’s goal had a slight hint of offside to it, but the finish was still superb to beat Schmiechel at the far post. 2-1 it would finish to the FA Cup winners, starting Jose Mourinho’s United career just how he’d want it.

For Leicester, the same tenacity and style was on show: holding back and defending well, and breaking when the opportunity arose. Combined with the set pieces danger, the defending champions look like they’ll still be fighting near the top this season – but they’ll be weary that the big teams won’t be tripping themselves up again unlike last year.

It barely feels like any time has passed since Leicester were lifting the Premier League trophy, and yet the new season’s already here: Can the Foxes stun the world again? Can Will Grigg be on fire for Wigan in the Championship or will the likes of Aston Villa & Newcastle fight their way back up? Will Bolton turn around their slump and start a climb towards the elite classes again? And how will Gary Linekar look in just his pants?

All questions we look forward to finding out (except the latter) this upcoming season!

Ashley Redman
Wants Ibrahimovic to say I’ll get a payrise