Romelu Lukaku faces a 'new reality' after Zlatan Ibrahimovic's Manchester United return, says Tony Cascarino

Manchester United’s marquee summer signing Romelu Lukaku faces a ‘new reality’ now Zlatan Ibrahimovic has returned to fitness, says Tony Cascarino.

The Belgian, who joined from Everton for a fee of £75 million earlier this year, has enjoyed a leading role at Old Trafford with little pressure on his starting berth so far this season.

However, he will now face competition from the imperious Swede. Having made his return from a seven-month lay-off against Newcastle at the weekend, Ibrahimovic got some more minutes under his belt in United’s defeat to Basel on Wednesday night.

With the 36-year-old, who was top scorer for Jose Mourinho’s side last season, slowly working back to peak fitness, Cascarino thinks it could tip Lukaku one of two ways.

“Romelu Lukaku faces a new reality now that Zlatan Ibrahimovic is fit,” the former Chelsea striker wrote in his column for The Times.

“In the absence of the injured Swede, Lukaku has expected to stay on the pitch for 90 minutes whatever happens, but now he faces the prospect of being substituted with 20 minutes left if he is not delivering the goods.

“That can go two ways: it might inspire him to lift his performance, or it could demoralise him. Alternatively, Mourinho could have both of his strikers on the pitch, as he did last night.

“Two big centre forwards can play effectively together — I loved having a strike partner with a strong physical presence alongside me.”