Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has denied that he intentionally elbowed Bournemouth defender Tyrone Mings during this afternoon's 1-1 draw at Old Trafford.
Mings had appeared to stamp on the head of Ibrahimovic prior to the incident in question, when the Swede caught the Bournemouth man in the face with his elbow from a corner.
Neither player was punished for their actions, but Bournemouth midfielder Andrew Surman was shown a second yellow for reacting to Ibrahimovic's apparent elbow.
Ibrahimovic, though, insists that he did not exact his own revenge for Mings's stamp, claiming that the Bournemouth man jumped into his elbow.
"With the stamp I just felt something hit me behind my neck. With the elbow I see it clearly, I jump up, I jump high, I protect myself, same time I go for the ball and he jumps into my elbow," he told Sky Sports News.
"Hopefully he didn't get injured or something because my intention was not to injure, it was the opposite. It was to protect myself and go for the ball, and unlucky he jumped into the elbow. This happens many times so hopefully he didn't feel any injury.
"Listen I didn't even know he stamped on my head in that moment. I didn't even see the replay. If it was him it was him. But that isn't something I think about because all the defenders, they try to stop you and me as a striker I try to score goals."
Ibrahimovic went on to miss a penalty for United as they were held to a frustrating draw by the 10-man Cherries.
Barney Corkhill
