Odion Ighalo has said he will cherish his first goal on his full debut for Man Utd for the rest of his life.
The lifelong United fan was shocked when his boyhood club came calling just hours before the transfer window slammed shut in January.
What was essentially a stop-gap signing for United is already posing the potential to be a lot more.
Former Watford striker Ighalo has hit the ground running on his return to England, netting four times in just three starts, and could now earn himself a new contract.
Yet whatever happens in Ighalo's future, he claims he will always look back with particular fondness at breaking his United duck.
"It’s a great memory and it was a dream come true," Ighalo told the club's official website. "Starting your first game and scoring your first goal at the same time, it’s something you’ll always cherish in your life. In the years to come, I’ll look back at my first start for the team and my first goal."
Ighalo had been thrown in from the off for United in their Europa League clash at home to Club Brugge in February, having came off the bench in the previous three fixtures without getting on the scoresheet.
United were a goal to the good against Brugge when Bruno Fernandes and Juan Mata combined to put the ball on a plate for Ighalo to double their advantage.
It was the easiest of finishes for the Nigerian to score from just yards out, but for him, it will remain one of the more memorable strikes of his career.
"The atmosphere in the stadium was mad, the fans were singing and supporting the team,' he recalled. "They were supporting me and signing my name and that gave me more courage and more spirit to fight, to score even more. I’m very happy about that. It’s going to be in my head forever.
“It was a great game and we won 5-0 after the away game, when we drew 1-1. Coming home to Old Trafford, we knew we needed to win that game for us to go into the next round.
"We started so well, we were pressing up high and tried to attack from start to finish. It was a great display from the team - 5-0 in the Europa League is not easy."
