Ibrahimovic, 35, opened the scoring in the 30th minute of Sunday’s game at the Stadium of Light, rolling Billy Jones and crashing a shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

“The older you are, the more experienced, the more intelligent and you don’t waste energy on things you don’t need,” Ibrahimovic told Sky Sports.

“I feel like Benjamin Button. I was born old and will die young,” he added, citing the 2008 Brad Pitt film about a man who ages in reverse.

Since turning 30, here’s what Ibrahimovic has achieved

• Scored 250 times, including 34 international goals for Sweden
• That is 18 goals more than his entire career before he turned 30
• Ibrahimovic has gone from scoring one goal every 2.28 games to scoring every 1.2 games
• Scored 41 % of Manchester United’s total goals so far this season
• He has won four league titles in France, two French Cups and the League Cup in England
• Won the Puskas Award for the best goal of the year in 2013
• Got the most number of assists in the Champions League in the 2012-13 season
• Got named in the FIFA FIFPro Team of the Year in 2013
• Named in the UEFA Team of the Year in 2013 & 2014

United manager Jose Mourinho was vital in bringing Ibrahimovic to England, was impressed with his goal against Sunderland: “You need these players to break it. Every team has a couple of them. Zlatan did that.”

Victory saw United close to within four points of Manchester City, who occupy the fourth and final Champions League qualifying berth and have played a game more than Mourinho’s side.