One of the options available to Manchester United this evening is recalling Nemanja Matic.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer told the club website Matic is hoping to be available as he steps up his recovery. Along with Scott McTominay, he is one of two midfield options United could call on who were not fit at the weekend.
Opposing manager Jose Mourinho knows Matic well, spending £40 million to sign him for United in 2017.
Recalling Matic for this fixture has advantages and disadvantages. Here is a breakdown of the pro’s and con’s…
Positive: He’s not Pereira
United are at the stage where Ole Gunnar Solskjaer needs to do something different.
Andreas Pereira has been picked to start in midfield in the last two matches and it has not been working
Matic might be worse, he might be better. Solskjaer owes it to himself and supporters to try.
Picking Pereira again would be both stubborn and loyal. It would also suggest Solskjaer is just accepting mediocrity.
Positive: It means not rushing McTominay
Given the choice between Scott McTominay and Nemanja Matic, it is the youngster who is the one we want to see.
This depends of course on how fit he is. A 90 per cent Matic is a preferable option to a 50 per cent McTominay.
United have to look beyond this game. City away follows days later, and December is one of the busiest months of the season for fixtures.
United have to be sensible and if that means protecting McTominay for his own good, then playing Matic tonight is in the club’s interests.
Positive: He can help nullify Tottenham threat
Matic at his best is one of the top defensive midfielders in Europe.
Tottenham have been scoring freely under Jose Mourinho, netting six goals in two Premier League games.
Our defence has looked shaky in recent games, conceding five goals in two matches.
A quality defensive midfielder is needed and Matic should be motivated to show everybody how good he is.
Negative: He’s rusty and past his best
It has been clear for around a year now that Matic is not the player he was.
Expecting him to come in and play like he once did is probably setting yourself up to be disappointed.
Matic is also lacking sharpness, he hasn’t played a game since early October.
He could get given the run around by an in form Tottenham side and Jose Mourinho knows his strengths and weaknesses better than anybody.
Negative: Poor performance hurts transfer value
United are willing to sell Nemanja Matic in January, The Sun report, with Tottenham one club who are interested.
Sometimes what is inside the mystery box is more exciting than the present itself. United picking Matic would risk showing Tottenham that he isn’t worth spending their money on.
Even if Spurs’ interest is not genuine, several European sides will be keen on the Serbian. So a bad performance in a big game could work against both Matic and United.
Solskjaer may be thinking short-term and only on this game, but this element of future planning could factor in if it is an even choice between Matic, Pereira and McTominay.
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