Zlatan Ibrahimovic was named the man of the match after he scored the winner for Manchester United in their EFL Cup final victory over Southampton.
There was only going to be one winner of the award after Ibrahimovic netted the goal that settled the tie. It was the Swede’s second goal of the afternoon after he fired in United’s opener with a 30-yard free-kick.
But Ibra wasn’t the only person who scored twice at Wembley Stadium. Manolo Gabbiadini got Southampton back into the game with goals either side of half-time, improving on his already impressive start to life in England.
The Italian actually scored three times in the final, but his early goal was incorrectly ruled out for offside.
Gabbiadini arrived from Napoli in the January transfer window and there will be questions about why he was allowed to leave Italy for just £15 million considering the fast start he has made.
The 25-year-old has scored five goals in three appearances for Claude Puel’s team. Gary Neville compared Southampton’s latest star to Italy and AC Milan legend Filippo Inzaghi on Monday Night Football,
“His movement in the box was absolutely sensational,” Neville said, via the Metro.
“Very rarely have I seen move across the box so many times in a game. We always like to compare players and find out who they remind us of, he reminds me so much of Filippo Inzaghi.
“His movement around the box, his sharpness, his predatory instinct.”
Video: Gabbiadini's second goal v United
What Mourinho told Gabbiadini at FT
And it would appear that Gabbiadini has a fan in Jose Mourinho, too.
Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport, the forward revealed what the United manager told him after the final. It left him feeling pretty special.
"When a personality like him comes up to you and says 'you were outstanding and scored two phenomenal goals,' then it makes you feel something special inside," Gabbiadini said, via ESPN FC.
"Mourinho is a special person and not just for the success he has had as a coach, but because he is charismatic."
Mourinho was relieved to win his first trophy
Charismatic wouldn’t be a word used to describe Mourinho after Sunday’s victory. The Portuguese cut an despondent figure as his players danced and dabbed on the Wembley turf.
Mourinho admitted afterwards that he was simply relieved to get his hands on his first trophy at United. And there must also be a feeling of wanting more, too - let’s face it, the Red Devils should be wanting to win bigger and better trophies than the EFL Cup.
They have the chance to add two more trophies to the cabinet before the season is through, with meetings against Chelsea in the FA Cup quarter-final and against FC Rostov in the Europa League last-16 to come.
