Former Tottenham Hotspur coach Tim Sherwood has identified five key qualities of Manchester United new boy Odion Ighalo that make him a top striker.
Manchester United coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was crying out for someone to get the goals after Marcus Rashford suffered an injury that will rule him out of action for two-three months and the club brought in the former Nigeria international on transfer deadline day.
"If they want to play counter attacking football as we think they will, they will suffer out of possession, they are going to allow Chelsea to have possession and they are going to try to catch them on the counter attack," Sherwood said on the Premier League Analysis Show.
"The only reason Mata might play is because it is Chelsea. Maybe Greenwood or Ighalo.
"If Ighalo has done enough training, I will play him because he is a focal point. He gives you that size, he gives you that presence, he likes to feel, he likes to bring others in."
Though Solskjaer has kept everyone guessing regarding his plans for Ighalo in the upcoming game vs Chelsea, Sherwood has advised the Norwegian to start his new number 25.
He added : "They've got him until the end of the season, he wants to stay there - the biggest club in the world.
"He can't believe his luck, he's pinching himself every morning he wakes up he's a Manchester United player, he wants to earn himself a long-term contract.
"If he's going to be used off the bench, maybe initially because he's short of fitness but with the injuries they've got at the moment, why not start him. I'll be very tempted to start him".
Should Ighalo feature against Chelsea on Monday night, he'll become the first Nigerian player to represent Manchester United in the Premier League.
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December 22, 2025
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