Jose Mourinho believes Zlatan Ibrahimovic has become “impossible” to drop but admits he must find ways of resting the Manchester United striker to avert the risk of burn-out later in the season.

Despite being 35, Ibrahimovic has played every minute of United’s Premier League matches this term, with the exception of the 1-1 draw against Arsenal when he was suspended, and has scored nine goals in the process.

But Mourinho – who goes in search of a third successive league win when United face West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns on Saturday – acknowledges that he must handle the Swede carefully over the second half of the season such is his importance to the side.

Asked if it was virtually impossible to omit Ibrahimovic, the United manger said: “Yes, it is. But [West Brom] is the last effort and then they will have a week without football. And that is a week my players need, especially a guy like Zlatan.

“Sometimes in other positions you can hide yourself a little more, protect yourself with experience, but as a striker he is in one of the positions where it is impossible to hide.