Manchester United left it very late to nick a point at home to Burnley for a second consecutive 2-2 draw in the Premier League. Half-time substitute Jesse Lingard scored both goals for United in the second half, having been brought on when United were two goals down.
Lingard has been impressive for United in recent weeks, but here he was dropped to facilitate the selection of Zlatan Ibrahimovic from the start. That tactic didn't work for United: the partnership of Zlatan and Lukaku lacked mobility, with the Swede clogging up the space Lukaku would otherwise had galloped into.
Regarding Ibrahimovic's performance, the Manchester Evening News wrote that the "lion played more like a cub". The pairing of Lukaku and him may have had its first and only outing.
The Ibrahimovic and Lukaku partnership has started today and should also end today. #mufc
— Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) December 26, 2017
Not sure Romelu Lukaku and Zlatan Ibrahimović are working together well. Making incredibly similar runs. Not fluid at all.
— Liam Canning (@LiamPaulCanning) December 26, 2017
Some United fans didn't blame Ibrahimovic for this, but his manager:
Do people not realise playing a 36-year-old, who’s just recovered from an ACL injury, in a role that needs movement, won’t work? Not even Ibrahimović’s fault, Mourinho should know it won’t work.
— Jordan (@FourFourJordan) December 26, 2017
Before Mourinho cites injuries etc, Burnley winning 2-0 without Brady, Wood, Heaton and Tarkowski...
— Mark Ogden (@MarkOgden_) December 26, 2017
Others were less kind to the man himself:
Zlatan’s a lion alright, that useless fucker from The Wizard of Oz.
— Darren Richman (@darrenrichman) December 26, 2017
Signing Zlatan again was like buying Falcao again. #MUFC
— John Brewin (@JohnBrewin_) December 26, 2017
Matic, Mata, Shaw had very good games. Ibrahimovic shouldn’t get close to starting another game anytime soon.
— Red (@ThatBoyGiggsy) December 26, 2017
Elsewhere, goalscoring hero Jesse Lingard was highly praised, days after being called "childish" by his manager:
Lingard and Young have become United's best players over the last few months simply because they try hard and actually seem to care. Imagine if our 'superstars' tried a bit more...
— Stephanie Roche (@StephanieRoche9) December 26, 2017
If you told me last year that Jesse Lingard would bee more crucial than Romelu Lukaku, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Marcus Rashford, I’d have told you to put Football Manager down and get some fresh air.
— Zach Lowy (@ZachLowy) December 26, 2017
Third time this season @JesseLingard has scored two in a game
— Simon Stone (@sistoney67) December 26, 2017
Ultimately United managed to show some of the grit and defiance of the Ferguson era, although were badly hamstrung once again by sloppy defending at set-pieces, along with a dysfunctional attack in the first-half. And when it's not your day...
Jose Mourinho missing the ball as it goes through his legs is one of the greatest pictures you will see all day. 😂 pic.twitter.com/TQorqBFWqq
— Squawka News (@SquawkaNews) December 26, 2017
