Manchester United’s Paul Pogba returns in style to cut down Newcastle

Once again, Paul Pogba is doing his snakehips shuffle beneath the Stretford End and Zlatan Ibrahimovic – straight-backed, chest puffed out, knee fixed – can be seen soaking up the crowd’s acclaim. It still might not be enough when it comes to catching, and overhauling, Manchester City at the top of the Premier League – but it must still feel reassuring for José Mourinho to see these two wearing Manchester United’s colours again.

For Ibrahimovic, it was his first appearance since his cruciate ligaments were ruptured in April and, at the grand old age of 36, it is no exaggeration to say that many people might have presumed this comeback would never happen. It was a tremendous cheer he received when he came on after 76 minutes and, Zlatan being Zlatan, one imagines he still feels he can have a considerable influence on this season’s title race. He will be annoyed, undoubtedly, that Rob Elliot’s save denied him a late goal from an acrobatic volley.

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