Man United Opinion: Nemanja Matic was the star for the Red Devils in the 1-1 against Chelsea
Man United and Chelsea shared a point apiece in a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Sunday, as both the teams managed to keep the top-four race very much alive heading into the last two games of the season.
United and Chelsea had the opportunity to capitalise on Arsenal and Tottenham’s slip-ups at the weekend but neither team managed to gain significant ground in the top-four race.
It was United, though, who started the game on a positive note. Luke Shaw and Romelu Lukaku combined brilliantly to set up Juan Mata for the opener and the Spaniard marked his return to the first-team with a neat finish to put the hosts in the driver’s seat just 11 minutes into the game.
Prior to the goal, Lukaku had a real chance to get his name on the scoresheet but the Belgian failed to convert after being played behind the backline by Luke Shaw’s delightful long pass.
The Red Devils enjoyed the lion share of the possession in the opening stages of the first half and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side would have gone into the interval with the lead had it not been for David de Gea’s terrible handling error.
The Spaniard continued his poor run of form and uncharacteristically spilt Antonio Rudiger’s long-range effort to allow Marcos Alonso to turn in the rebound just at the stroke of halftime.
With the score level at 1-1, both the teams had plenty to play for in the second half, knowing that a winning goal would help either of them take a crucial lead in the top-four race.
That, however, was not the case and a game that promised a lot in the first forty-five minutes ended in a stalemate. It was a must-win game for both sides on paper but neither of them had the quality to outclass their opposition on the given day.
Taking into account the statistics, there wasn’t a lot to choose between the two teams, though the fans might argue that United were the better team for large quarters of the game.
United managed to get 5 out of their 7 attempted shots on target, while Chelsea looked completely wayward with their shooting, having managed to get only 3 of their 16 attempts on goal. The Red Devils registered a total of 465 passes throughout the game, which is slightly better as compared to Chelsea’s 417 passes.
However, it has to be said that Solskjaer’s tactical tweak handed United a clear advantage over their opposition. The Norwegian reverted to a back-four system and fielded a diamond in the midfield, with two former Chelsea stars Nemanja Matic and Juan Mata playing at the base and the tip of the diamond respectively.
Paul Pogba and Ander Herrera played in box-to-box and holding roles on the left and right respectively, while Romelu Lukaku was preferred to Jesse Lingard up front.
United’s diamond formation in the midfield didn’t allow Chelsea to have much of the ball in the first half and the hosts pretty much dictated the play.
It has to be said that stability in the midfield was one of hallmark’s of United’s performance in the 1-1 draw on Sunday and Nemanja Matic’s presence at the base of the diamond in a No.6 role was the key to their dominance.
The Serb has come under criticism numerous times this season for his lack of sharpness and agility but he was at the top of his game against his former club.
Matic controlled the tempo of the game from his deep position in the midfield and showed good calmness and composure in possession to play it out from the back.
The Serb’s reliable presence not only eased the pressure on the likes of Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof at the heat of the defence but also allowed the likes of Pogba and Herrera to join the attack and race up and down the pitch.
He has been put to the sword many a time this season due to his sloppy passing but the veteran once again proved why he is still one of the best defensive midfielders in Europe.
The 30-year-old’s fitness levels have also evoked criticism but he looked as fit as a fiddle on Sunday, plugging the gaps at the back, showing the desire to carry the ball forward and switching the play with some delightful long passes.
Matic played a total of 70 passes with an accuracy rate of 85.7, including 2 successful long balls,1 tackle, 1 interception, 1 clearance and 1 block, stats which show that he did a good job defensively. Furthermore, Matic proved that aerial ability can be a valuable asset to any defensive midfielder on a given day, registering 3 successful aerial duels.
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Matic has looked pedestrian in the midfield for large quarters of the season but this should be amongst his best performances in the current campaign. United will be hoping that he can carry his good run of form into the last two games of the season.
