I Did Not Intentionally Elbow Mings – Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Manchester United forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic denied deliberately elbowing Tyrone Mings in the 1-1 draw at Old Trafford, saying the Bournemouth defender “jumped into my elbow.”

Ibrahimovic — who saw a second-half penalty saved by Artur Boruc as United failed to make the most of a series of chances — clashed with Mings at the end of the first half.

Mings slid in on Wayne Rooney and then stamped on Ibrahimovic, who appeared to elbow the defender in the face at a corner seconds later. Mings has denied that he intentionally stamped on the striker.

Both avoided red cards from referee Kevin Friend, with Ibrahimovic already in the book for dissent after the decision to award the penalty from which Bournemouth had levelled.

A Football Association source has said that that disciplinary chiefs will wait for Friend’s match report before deciding whether to take any action against either Ibrahimovic or Mings.

Ibrahimovic told the BBC: “Listen, what happens on the field stays on the field.

Lionel Messi was in top form as he scored twice and set up two more goals to help Barcelona cruise to a 5-0 win over Celta Vigo on Saturday.

Neymar, Ivan Rakitic and Samuel Umtiti were also on the scoresheet as Barcelona restored their spot atop the table by one point ahead of Real Madrid, who still hold a game in hand.

Messi had already hit the post before he opened the scoring at Camp Nou with a masterful solo effort against a good Celta side who have already beaten Barcelona and Real Madrid this season.

He received the ball near midfield with Celta apparently positioned to keep him in check. But he curled around his marker, sped toward the goal, cut back around a second man, and finished it off with a vicious left-footed strike.

Messi then assisted Neymar by threading a precise pass to meet his strike partner’s run into the box, where Neymar added his own exquisite touch by popping the ball into a perfect tight arc over the helpless keeper.

After their first-half goals, both strikers contributed to Rakitic’s score. And after passing for Umtiti to get his first goal for Barcelona, Messi capped the victory himself with another great goal as he ghosted around two Celta players before firing between the legs of the second one.