Page 4 - Arsenal 2-0 Manchester United: Hits and Flops

Arsenal 2-0 Manchester United: Hits and Flops | Premier League 2019-20

Modified Jan 01, 2020 23:23 GMT

Arsenal picked up an impressive 2-0 win over Manchester United

Flop: Nemanja Matic

Nemanja Matic struggled to make an impact in United's midfield

Nemanja Matic’s influence at Old Trafford has been largely waning since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took the reins at the club a year ago, and thus far this season he’s only started 4 of Manchester United’s Premier League matches.

Tonight he was trusted to start in a double-pivot with Fred, and it’s safe to say his performance won’t have changed the opinions of his doubters.

Matic looked slow and lethargic throughout the match, as he failed to keep track of Granit Xhaka, Mesut Ozil and Lucas Torreira prior to his substitution late in the second half. For a holding midfield player of some renown, the Serbian’s statistics were worryingly poor.

Matic completed just 1 tackle throughout the game, and failed to register any interceptions or clearances. In comparison, his midfield partner Fred registered higher in all categories – and was the more accurate passer of the ball, too.

The likelihood is that if Scott McTominay were fit, Matic would not have started this game; judging by this showing, the sooner McTominay can return to full fitness, the better it will be for the Red Devils’ hopes.

About the author

Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.

Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.

Scott’s work has been previously reshared by the former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. He uses credible sources, such as the UFC’s official website, during the writing process.

His dedication to MMA writing won him the Feature Writer of the Month award for Sportskeeda in November 2021.

Outside of work, Scott likes to go to the gym, walk his dog, and travel.

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Edited by Arvind Sriram