Zlatan Ibrahimovic has insisted that Jose Mourinho is not to blame for Manchester United's disappointing Premier League campaign, as he is "getting 200%" out of the players available to him.
The Red Devils are likely to miss out on the top four - their minimum league target for the season - after being held to three draws in their last four outings prior to today's trip to Sunderland.
Ibrahimovic, who reunited with boss Mourinho last summer following their successful stint together at Inter Milan, is happy with his first campaign in English football but hinted that more quality needs to be added this summer.
"I think Mourinho is doing maximum with the team he has. He is getting 200% out of the team he has," Sky Sports News quotes him as saying. "I know him very well from the past. I think he is older and he is calmer, but he is still the same winner as before.
"I mean the mentality is there - because that you don't lose. When you have it, you have it. It is nothing you learn, it is nothing you try to be. Either you are or you are not at winner. That's why I think his season has been good. We have done a good season for the team we have. We have won two trophies and I think the coach is doing absolutely the maximum with the team.
"Of course, some games you are unlucky, some games you are lucky, some games you do mistakes, some games the mistakes can be accepted but you still get a win. This is part of the game. If we were good enough to be No 1, we would be No 1 in the table now. So we have to be realistic - and I think this season has been great."
Ibrahimovic has found the net 27 times for United this season, including 16 times in the Premier League.