Ibrahimovic opened the scoring with a sublime curling effort from 20-yard in the 30th-minute.
Sunderland are likely to appeal the red card shown to midfielder Seb Larsson, but manager David Moyes was keen not to use the loss of the Sweden worldwide before half-time as an excuse for a fifth defeat in six games which pushed his side closer to relegation to the Championship.
"It was an important win and a solid performance against a team that is sad.When you play a team that is sad, if you score first the game is nearly over because it is hard for them to react".
He scored the opening goal for United and assisted Marcus Rashford to an 89th minute goal to bag three important points for his team at the Stadium of Light.
The Champions had won five consecutive league games after sacking Claudio Ranieri in February following a run of results that left it just above the relegation zone.
And it was the Swede who put United ahead with his 28th goal of the season in all competitions. There was a lack of energy about their performance, and while Sunderland themselves were devoid of any real threat there remained hope for the home side that they could snatch something.
"The game was good and we get 1-0 and they get the red card".
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The man who was dragged refused to give up his seat because he is a doctor and said he needed to treat patients. Munoz himself said on Wednesday that he had left a message for Dao.
This was not one of the most memorable of United wins, and indeed by the time Seb Larsson was shown a red card late in the first half the game was already over as a contest.
Bailly is one of six United players aged 24 or younger that have 10 or more league appearances this season with several other youngsters in the squad yet to play. "The players care and want to do well and we're not doing as well as we should be".
A few minutes before Rashford's goal, United fans on Twitter noticed a very amusing moment between Jose Mourinho and Michael Carrick, who was an unused substitute against the Black Cats.
But Lukaku equalised in the 23rd minute, heading in an exquisite cross by Ross Barkley, and after Phil Jagielka had headed in from a corner, Lukaku smashed in his second with over half an hour to play.
United were without goalkeeper David de Gea due to a minor hip injury, with Sergio Romero deputising, but Mourinho expects the Spaniard to be fit for the visit of leaders Chelsea next Sunday.
"We were playing quite compact and solid".
The picture is bleaker for their former boss Moyes and Sunderland who have now gone seven top-flight matches without scoring - the joint second worst sequence in Premier League history.
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