Breaking Down Zlatan Ibrahimovic's Performance Versus Tottenham Hotspur

OLD TRAFFORD, MANCHESTER — It was another of Manchester United's star summer signings who adorned the cover of the matchday programme as the Red Devils took on Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford on Sunday. But while cover star Henrikh Mkhitaryan's goal made the telling difference to the scoreline, Zlatan Ibrahimovic's performance was nonetheless important to United's win.

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At OT for @br_uk

Buzzing at the cover of the programme! pic.twitter.com/hXjCu0lXll

— Paul Santacast (@UtdRantcast) December 11, 2016"

He began action by pressing his man from kick-off, slowing from a sprint to a jog as soon as the ball was clearly out of his reach. That moment was telling; it encapsulates the Swede's approach to movement off the ball. He spent the next few moments strolling around the front line, waiting to pounce.

At the beginning of the second minute, the logic of his approach became obvious. It is all about preserving energy for when it is needed. Mkhitaryan picked up the ball around the halfway line and Ibrahimovic was off, bursting into space. The Armenian found him. The Swede, in turn, found Paul Pogba, whose shot was saved by Hugo Lloris.

It was the first time in the game that Ibrahimovic's coiled spring of energy was released but not the last.

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While he clearly works to save his energy for when it is needed, Ibrahimovic is by no means lazy about pressing. Danny Rose had a throw-in around halfway between the edge of the Spurs penalty area and the halfway line. The Swede followed the ball all the way to the middle of the pitch, harrying first Toby Alderweireld and then Lloris.

That harrying allowed Ander Herrera and Mkhitaryan to join in with a high press. They did not succeed in winning back possession but severely limited Spurs' options. Ibrahimovic's endeavour had been instrumental in that.

Interestingly, all United's forward players were assigned a man-marking role for Lloris' ensuing goal kick. As he had done against Manchester City and Claudio Bravo, manager Jose Mourinho set up his forwards to stand on all of the simple pass options available to Tottenham's 'keeper, forcing him to hit it long.

Ibrahimovic played an important cameo in the counter-attack that led to Mkhitaryan's off-target shot from the edge of the area after around 10 minutes. Again, his movement was unusual.

Rather than busting a gut to keep up with Anthony Martial, who was carrying the ball at speed, he slowed down, offering his team-mate the option of a simple pass. The Frenchman obliged. Ibrahimovic found Pogba, whose raking ball out to the right was collected by Antonio Valencia, whose cross resulted in Mkhitaryan's effort.

Ibrahimovic's flashy skill and eye for goal are huge attributes for Mourinho's United, but his vision and subtlety are important too.

That vision was on show with his 25th-minute looped through ball to Martial. It was well-defended in the end, and Martial's slip did not help, but the weight of the pass was excellent. Against Everton at Goodison Park, Ibrahimovic's passing had been off, but it was on point in the opening spell of this game.

There was a brief moment of controversy when his outstretched leg caught Kyle Walker's knee, causing the defender no little pain. The Old Trafford crowd, of course, responded with a rendition of the Swede's song. The specifics contain language unsuitable for replication here. Suffice it to say it makes reference to his physical prowess, a quality much appreciated by United fans.

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The programme cover star lived up to his billing by netting United's only goal.

Ibrahimovic's key role in that was to stay out of the way. He was well offside as Ander Herrera played a through ball that initially looked aimed at United's No. 9. Aware of his predicament, though, Zlatan made his lack of intention to move toward the ball clear, only beginning to sprint when Mkhitaryan had picked up possession and the second phase of play had begun.

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Ibrahimovic took a defender with him, providing space for the Armenian to run into. Mkhitaryan took full advantage, as his recent superb run continued. The injury he picked up later in the game was the one serious disappointment for United fans after what was an important win.

A few minutes after the goal, Ibrahimovic had his first shot of the game. He stood unmarked at the far side of the area as Valencia whipped a cross to Pogba in the centre of the box. The Frenchman's control bobbled out to the Swede, who adjusted his body shape quickly enough to get the ball under his control.

His shot to the near post was well saved by Lloris, though the stopper was not much troubled by it.

Ibrahimovic made a telling defensive contribution around the 37-minute mark. This time, his outstretched leg made contact with the ball rather than a Spurs player as he poked a dangerous-looking cross clear.

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The late stages of the first half saw him make just about his first misstep. Standing on the edge of the area, he attempted to lay the ball off to Pogba but tapped it into space from where it was cleared instead.

It was generally a good half of football from the Swede, though. He had pressed when needed, contributed to the attack and, for want of a more nuanced description, looked bang up for it.

Early in the second half came a nearly moment—Valencia's cross found the top of Ibrahimovic's head, but he could not get high enough to nod goalward. Instead, the ball flicked out to Martial. Then, moments later, a Mkhitaryan through ball was aimed toward Ibrahimovic, but Rose outpaced him. There is, of course, no shame in being outpaced by the Spurs left-back.

It was a good little spell for United, and Mkhitaryan fired in a deep cross toward Ibrahimovic in the area.

There was an argument for him to head it back across the box, but he instead cushioned a header out to Martial. It was probably the wrong choice. He then found himself in the box on the receiving end of a Pogba long ball. His chest control nearly brought the ball into his orbit, but the two defenders marking him did their jobs.

The good United spell was followed by a spurt of Spurs possession. From a wide free-kick, a dangerous ball found Victor Wanyama unmarked on the edge of the six-yard box. He was unable to get his header on target, and it was Ibrahimovic who headed the ball behind for another corner.

At around the hour mark, some excellent hold-up play by the Swede contributed to the buildup to a direct free-kick being won around five yards out from the D of the penalty area. When a long ball reached Ibrahimovic, he was virtually the only United player in their half. He used his strength to hold off defenders until he was joined by Pogba.

The Frenchman earned the free-kick and took it himself, hitting the bar with Lloris well beaten. Had that ball been a couple of inches lower, the ensuing period would have been more enjoyable for United fans, who had seen their team fail to hold on to a few leads in recent weeks.

After Marcus Rashford came on for Martial, United managed another brief period of pressure. Ibrahimovic almost won a header by going through two defenders at once, but nothing came of it. It was an example of his remarkable physicality, though. Few Premier League strikers would have stood a chance, but the Swede seemed to.

Once stoppage time arrived, Spurs pushed to get an equaliser. Ibrahimovic's role was clear—he was the only United player who stayed upfield. He remains unlikely to spearhead many counter attacks, but he can play an important role in them by holding up the ball to allow his younger, quicker team-mates to join in the attack.

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He also served as a nuisance to Spurs when they tried to start a quick counter-attack from a free-kick, standing in Wanyama's way, unmoved by his protestations.

There was time for one last moment of, well, Zlatanness—he had the ball on the edge of United's box and, with a series of stepovers and flicks, managed to keep the ball under his control.

And that was it. United had won a game that could prove crucial. Ibrahimovic had not scored an outrageous volley or provided an assist, but it was a more than decent all-around performance. Those will continue to be important as the season progresses. Mourinho said this was not a must-win game in terms of the team's evolution but that it was vital to their ambitions this season.

Ibrahimovic is clearly important to both.