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2nd January 2017
08:41am GMT
Even when he put pen to paper for Manchester United this summer and a few misguided, feeble-minded souls suggested the 35-year-old may have a harder time in the Premier League than with petro-billionaire funded PSG in the super-competitive Ligue 1, of course Ibra knew better.
And now he's plundered 17 goals in the Premier League, bringing his total for 2016 up to 50 (one shy of Messi's total for the year), Zlatan, uncharacteristically, has some schadenfreude to dish out to anyone who dared to doubt.
[caption id="attachment_105163" align="alignnone" width="719"]
Ibrahimovic shoots on goal against Middlesbrough[/caption]
Speaking after United's 2-1 victory over Middlesbrough, in which he had a goal harshly ruled out, The Mirror reports the Swede had this to say about his haters:
"It gives me a lot of energy, trust me, a lot of energy, because they get paid to talk s**t and I get paid to play with my feet - that’s how I enjoy it.
"I had a fantastic year.
"At PSG it was amazing, and I came to United and my first six months here have been more than amazing.
"I came to the Premier League and everyone thought it would not be possible but, like always, I make them eat their balls."
As Zlatan knows, the first rule of football punditry is: You never bet agains Ibra. NEVER.
Also, just in case anyone were tempted to suggest this form might be a flash in the pan and not the longterm solution to United's previous attacking woes, Zlatan was quick to remind people that even at 35, he feels he still has more to offer.
He added:
“I’m super-happy and I feel good. I don’t know how many years I have left, but I’m enjoying the football.
Every year [Manchester United] have been calling me and they was not feeling good, so I wanted to come when everyone thought I was over.”
Zlatan 1, the chippy, deluded punditocracy 0.
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