Jose Mourinho refused to admit Zlatan Ibrahimovic was Manchester United's most important player.
The Swede took his tally to 23 goals for the season with a hat-trick in the Europa League win over St Etienne.
Ibrahimovic has played in 34 of his side's 39 matches this season having arrived in the summer.
But Mourinho insisted United were not over-reliant on the striker, despite his latest European treble.
“He's important I don't want to say the most important,” Mourinho told ITV Sport.
“Obviously he's important, he shows that even when he doesn't score goals.
“To score a hat-trick is a nice thing - even for a guy like him who has scored so many hat-tricks.”
Ibrahimovic showed off his latest match ball on Instagram and warned it would not be his last in the red of United.
The 35-year-old only signed a one-year deal last summer but is widely expected to agree an extension.
Speaking after the win over St Etienne, he said: "We're winning but in a short time everything can change.
"It's important to keep getting the wins we need. Everything can change but we're happy at the moment.
"This is the decisive moment for the season. We are still in all four competitions. The fifth we already won [the Community Shield."
