Zlatan Ibrahimovic Manchester United Saint EtienneGetty

Man Utd reach defensive milestone for first time since Sir Alex era

Manchester United reached a defensive milestone for the first time since the era of Sir Alex Ferguson after beating Saint-Etienne 3-0 in the Europa League on Thursday.

Zlatan is Man Utd's star attraction

Jose Mourinho’s side kept their third consecutive European clean sheet for the first time since 2010, having previously kept out Zorya Luhansk and Feyenoord in the same competition.

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Zlatan Ibrahimovic was the hero on the night, as he scored his first United hat-trick, and his third against Saint-Etienne over his entire career.

But it was defensively where United set a milestone that they hadn't previously achieved in Europe since 2010, where they went five games without conceding in the group stages of the Champions League.

Mourinho's men now take on Blackburn Rovers in the FA Cup before the EFL Cup final against Southampton a week on Sunday.

And the Red Devils will undoutedly be confident of getting past Saint-Etienne in the Europa League before that Wembley clash, as they take the 3-0 lead to the second leg in France on Wednesday.

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