Veteran Cavani channels evergreen Zlatan with maiden Manchester United goal

Edinson Cavani rolled back the years to score his first Premier League goal for Manchester United on Saturday, and channeling ex-Red Devils frontman Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the process.

In finding the net for United's third goal in their 3-1 victory over Everton, Cavani – whose maiden Prem goal came at 33 years and 267 days – becomes the oldest player in over four years to score for the first time in the top flight.

In fact, he’s the oldest since his former Paris Saint-Germain teammate Zlatan, who bagged for the Red Devils with a long-range effort on his debut against Bournemouth – a 3-1 triumph for United – in August 2016 when he was 34 years and 316 days.

While not quite as spectacular as that strike, Cavani’s cool finish was a delight nonetheless, as he slammed home into the bottom left corner after being played in by the inspired Bruno Fernandes to prove that his predatory instincts remain undimmed.

The win takes United up to 10 points after seven matches, and helps them snap a two-game losing streak following underwhelming defeats at home against Arsenal and away against Istanbul Basaksehir in the Champions League on Wednesday.

The Uruguay forward’s goal may well silence some of the doubters who have questioned whether, at 33, he still has something to offer at the highest level.

There’s little doubt about his pedigree as a goalscorer—he scored 100 Ligue 1 goals for PSG between 2015 and 2019 – but there have been question marks about his ability to make a mark at United having signed for the club on the back of an underwhelming four-goal season in France.

Now, United fans will hope he can go on and emulate Ibrahimovic’s impact at Old Trafford, with the Sweden superstar retaining cult hero status in the North West following a colourful spell with the club.

Last month, against Chelsea, Cavani became the oldest United debutant since Zlatan, and he must now seek to break another of the AC Milan frontman’s records; in February 2017, Ibrahimovic became the oldest Prem player to reach 15 Prem goals in a single season.

He went on to score 17 goals in the league that season, as United won the EFL Cup, Europa League and Community Shield, and is still doing the business in Serie A, with seven goals in four league outings so far this term.

If Cavani can match that haul, then he will demonstrated definitively that age is little more than a number.