Zlatan Ibrahimovic backs Manchester United to challenge for 'big things'

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is confident Manchester United can challenge for "big things" with the squad they possess despite a slow start to the 2016/17 campaign. The Swedish striker believes it is just a matter of all the players getting to know each other and bringing out the best in each other to consistently achieve positive results.

The Red Devils started the season strongly but have since struggled to put together a consistent run, which has seen them fall behind in the title race. Jose Mourinho's side are currently eight points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool and six points behind fourth placed Arsenal, whom they play on 19 November at Old Trafford. But Ibrahimovic will be absent for the clash against the Gunners as he serves a one-game ban for picking up his fifth yellow card of the season.

United have lost three of their 11 games thus far but have also drawn as many, which sees them in sixth place at the moment. They face Arsenal, West Ham United, Everton and Tottenham Hotspur in their next four Premier League games, with three of the aforementioned four teams in the top seven at the moment. Positive results against them could see the 20-time English champions move back into the Champions League places and put them back in the reckoning for the title race.

"We have a mix of ages — experienced players, young players, the quality is there. I think we can achieve big things. I said after the Liverpool game and I said it before that we just need to find the 'click' where we find each other," Ibrahimovic told United's official site.

"Every day that goes by, the more you get to know each other and it becomes like a family. You know what you need — I know what I need to do to get the maximum out of my team-mates and the same thing on the other side, they know what they need to bring that out of me. The pieces are there, we just need to put the puzzle together," he added.