Nemanja Matic's rusty performance in Manchester United's victory against AZ Alkmaar demonstrated how much the Serbian must improve to break into first choice line-up
* Nemanja Matic delivered a rusty showing in Man United's win over AZ Alkmaar
* The Serbian star's lack of mobility was a stark contrast to first choice midfielders
* Matic had been forced to bear the brunt of fans’ frustrations before latest injury
* It is increasingly difficult to see Matic playing much of a role this season
Nemanja Matic started the season with aspirations of being Manchester United’s captain. He’s subsequently had to downgrade his ambitions and a long-awaited return for Thursday’s Europa League tie against AZ Alkmaar was a reminder of how much he has to do to get into Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s genuine first team.
The kindest thing to say about Matic’s performance was that he looked rusty and in fairness it was his first outing since October 3 since when he’s been hampered by a groin injury.
But even so, the 31-year-old’s lack of mobility across the ground was a stark contrast to the energy shown by Scott McTominay and Fred in United’s recent improved league results.
Matic is one of only four players in the United squad with experience of winning a Premier League title – his success coming at Chelsea.
He followed Jose Mourinho to Old Trafford for £40million with a reputation of a world-class holding midfielder helping tighten up the United defence.
It hasn’t really worked out like that and Matic was already bearing the brunt of fans’ frustrations before his latest injury. His athleticism, or lack of, have been ridiculed.
You saw the problem in the first half at Old Trafford where Alkmaar’s busy forward players were able to get goal-side of the Serbian international. He allowed young James Garner to break forward while he stayed solidly in front of the back-four.
On the only occasion he ventured into the Alkmaar half, he did produce an excellent pass to set up Juan Mata for a chance.
Matic will point that he had done his job because United reached the interval level at 0-0 providing the platform for a second-half goal glut typified by a brilliant brace from Mason Greenwood, Ashley Young and a Juan Mata penalty.
Nemanja Matic delivered a rusty showing in Manchester United's victory over AZ Alkmaar. The Serbian midfielder's lack of mobility was a contrast to United's first choice midfielders. It is difficult to imagine the 31-year-old playing much more of a role for United this season
But if Mourinho, now at Spurs, is looking for an experienced midfielder, he wouldn’t pay anything like £30million for Matic on current form.
Alkmaar failed to score against United in Holland and aren’t among European football’s most potent attacking forces.
Matic would have to up his game considerably against better opposition. On the ball, he is composed, given time. He was involved in the move that created United’s opening goal early in the second half. He can still read the game but too often even though the mind knows where to go, the legs won’t carry him fast enough.
United are light in numbers in midfield but even so Matic would be an emergency pick rather than someone Solskjaer would rely upon.
McTominay and Fred will get the nod for Sunday’s visit of Everton and Paul Pogba’s anticipated return later this month would push Matic further down the pecking order.
He is a popular member of the United dressing-room and can give useful advice to the crop of youngsters coming through.
But he will feel at his age he still has three or four years of first-team football ahead of him and you can’t see him wanting to hang around Old Trafford to sit on the bench or, even worse, not make the bench.
Matic wore the armband with pride when United went on pre-season tour but Solskjaer has now nominated Young as club captain with Harry Maguire and David de Gea next in line.
Unless Matic can turn back the clock to pass and move a bit quicker – as he did in his Chelsea heyday – it is hard to see him playing much of a role this season at Old Trafford, with the proviso of course that he will have been glad to have completed a 90-minute run-out after his frustrating time with injuries. With some European leagues played at a slower pace, the last knockings of the Europa league stage could have proved a valuable shop window.
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