Manchester United must continue to manage Zlatan Ibrahimovic carefully as they ‘need him in that team’, says Tony Cottee.
The Red Devils pulled off quite the coup in luring the Swedish striker to Old Trafford over the summer, with the presence of Jose Mourinho in the dugout aiding their cause.
Despite now being 35 years of age, Ibrahimovic has made the desired impact in English football.
Confidence has never been an issue for the former Juventus and Barcelona forward and he has embraced the challenges presented to him by the Premier League.
He has already made 26 appearances in all competitions and offered a healthy return of 17 goals.
Of those, 11 have been plundered in his last 13 appearances, with the perfect response offered to a rare barren spell in October.
Ibrahimovic is once again a talisman and a vital cog in a United machine setting its sights on the top four and beyond.
Cottee admits he is a unique presence in Mourinho’s squad and one that the Red Devils cannot afford to be without in the games that really matter.
He told Sky Sports: “I don’t see why he can’t keep playing. There will be occasions – the FA Cup springs to mind – when they will want to give him a rest, but they need him in that team.
“Although you have got other good players to play up front, they don’t do what Zlatan does.”
Ibrahimovic’s latest goal, and match-altering contribution, came against Sunderland on Boxing Day as United recorded a 3-1 victory on home soil.
Cottee was impressed by another virtuoso display, with there only minor faults to be found in his game.
He added: “The one slight criticism of him is that he was wandering around a bit too much.
“It’s alright going out to left wing, but if you get the ball in the box then you need him in there. But I’m being harsh on him because he had another outstanding game.”
Ibrahimovic took his 2016 tally of goals in club competition to 50 by finding the target against the Black Cats and will get one more opportunity to add to that return on New Year’s Eve when United welcome Middlesbrough to Old Trafford.
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