Manchester United 2-1 Sampdoria: 5 talking points

#4 Matic needs time to adjust to new surroundings

Matic could become a genuine Stretford End icon

He might not be the flashiest of footballers, but Nemanja Matic certainly first the bill of a typical Mourinho player – he is strong, athletic and adds to the strong spine that Mou normally likes to adorn his best sides with.

Indeed, Mourinho was eager to sing the Serbian’s praise in the post-match press conference:

“He needs time, but he is experienced, intelligent, genius in the way he plays,” the Special One said to a packed-out media room in Dublin.

Despite Matic enduring what Mourinho labelled ‘a lonely preseason’, it’s obvious that the pair have a good rapport, something that should bode well for their relationship moving forward.

Matic’s performance was low-key on the night against the Italians, but he performed his link-up play well, distributed the ball coolly and added a typically Matic-like calmness to the midfield, carrying out his duties with minimal fuss and utmost professionalism.

Given time, Matic could become a genuine Stretford End icon, especially if he proves to be the reliable anchor United need to dock their ship in the rough seas to come.