- Ibrahimovic scores twice
- Avoids red card between goals
- Third clean sheet in four matches
- WATCH: Zlatan nets early
Zlatan Ibrahimovic nabbed a brace as Manchester United left the Hawthorns with three points after a 2-0 win over West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
United goes level with fifth-place Spurs before Tottenham takes the pitch Sunday, while 7th place West Brom could be passed by two teams by the end of Monday.
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It took little time for Ibrahimovic to strike.
The big Swede nodded Jesse Lingard’s pinpoint cross off the ground and past Ben Foster to give Manchester United a 1-0 lead after just five minutes at the Hawthorns. It’s his 15th goal in 25 appearances for United, and the sixth in his last six Premier League matches.
A high hit from Ibrahimovic could’ve been a red card, but referee Anthony Taylor didn’t see it that way and produced yellow.
Salomon Rondon drew “ooohs” from the Hawthorns crowd after a half hour, but the hat trick hero’s show went wide of the far post.
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100 - Zlatan Ibrahimovic has scored in 100 of his 170 league games since the start of 2011/12. Smorgasbord.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 17, 2016
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Ibrahimovic added his second when he dribbled toward the center of the 18 before hitting a deflected shot past Foster.
The chippy and violent play increased in the second half, and Marcos Rojo and Rondon both saw yellow in the 65th minute.
West Brom’s chances were well dealt with by United, including a Matteo Darmian block of a Chris Brunt shot in the 70th.