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Nemanja Matic at United: Squad ‘unhappy’ with Jose’s persistence for Serb

Rishabh Gupta
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Nemanja Matic at United

Nemanja Matic at United: The Manchester United squad is reportedly unhappy with Mourinho’s persistence with the Serbian midfielder.

Manchester United conceded a disappointing 3-1 defeat to city rivals Manchester City in season’s first derby on Sunday. Jose Mourinho’s side was thoroughly outplayed at the Etihad Stadium, as Manchester United looked a mere shadow of their past.

With this loss, United remain at 8th position in the league, behind Bournemouth and Watford in the table. Manchester United are also the only club in the top-10 to have a negative goal difference at the moment. (-1)

Pep Guardiola’s side, meanwhile, regained top spot with the win, and is now two points clear of Liverpool. Interestingly, the top-three sides, with Chelsea at third, are all unbeaten in the league so far.

Following the loss, there have been reports of Manchester United squad being unhappy with Mourinho’s fascination with Nemanja Matic.

Nemanja Matic at United:

The Serbian midfielder joined Manchester United last summer from Chelsea. He played under Jose Mourinho under Chelsea, and the Portuguese manager has always been fond of the midfielder.

However, Matic’s performances have been far from satisfactory this season. He was at fault for Ilkay Gundogan’s goal which sealed the three points for Manchester City on Sunday.

The Manchester United squad, as well as the members of staff, are left bemused with Mourinho’s reluctance in dropping Nemanja Matic. According to English outlet Times, tensions have increased inside the Manchester United camp as Matic continues to be one of the preferred midfielders for Mourinho.

In the post-match interview, Mourinho refused to criticize Matic, instead stating he was forced to start Fellaini in the absence of Pogba, despite the Belgian not being fully fit.

“Of course, we missed him (Pogba),” Mourinho said. “One of the things that broke our plan a lot was the fact Fellaini had to start the game.

“Because Fellaini is not in conditions to play 90 minutes. He was phenomenal in his effort but he was not in the condition to do it and normally, I bring Fellaini to this game in the latest part of the game.”

What next?

It would be interesting to see if Mourinho continues to put his faith in Nemanja Matic when Manchester United returns to Premier League action after the international break.

Mourinho’s side will host Crystal Palace on November 24, before playing an important Champions League fixture against Young Boys.

About the author

Rishabh Gupta

Rishabh Gupta

A sports enthusiast. Sports, I believe, is one of the few powers which help us grow, both as an individual and society. With each day, in the rich world of sports, I grow.

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