Once upon a time, Nemanja Matic was one of the standout holding midfielders in the world but the former Chelsea man has seen a drop in his performances of late.
Ad
Trending
Like Young, many opine that he should be discarded and the 31-year-old has seen a reduction in his playing time of late.
The game against AZ was only his sixth appearance of the season but despite some shaky, pedestrian, and unconvincing displays early in the game, the Serbian international slowly grew into the match.
Matic played for the full 90 minutes and had a pass accuracy of 92%.
DMF - James Garner: 6/10
James Garner was handed his fifth appearance of the season and fourth in the Europa League against AZ but the 18-year-old did not do too much to stake a claim for a regular spot in the Premier League.
Ad
Garner is one of the highest-rated midfielders in the United youth ranks and big things are expected from him but the game against AZ largely flew past him.
AMF - Juan Mata: 8/10
Manchester United v AZ Alkmaar: Group L - UEFA Europa League
Juan Mata is far from the height of his powers from some years back but he still displayed flashes of his brilliance in what was a solid performance against AZ Alkmaar.
Ad
The 31-year-old was deployed at the tip of midfield and from there, he influenced proceedings and ended the night with two assists for each of Greenwood's goals, while he also converted the penalty to make it 3-0 in the 62nd minute.
Mata completed 92.7% of his passes.
×
Feedback
Why did you not like this content?
Was this article helpful?
Thank You for feedback
About the author
Ume Elvis
Elvis is a seasoned football journalist and has been with Sportskeeda for more than 6 years. He specializes in writing match previews across several leagues and competitions around the world, and his insightful tips have amassed a total readership in excess of 9.2 million till date. Elvis' meticulous attention to detail and strictly following SK's editorial guidelines have been key to achieving a vast readership. He has also exclusively covered the 2021 Nigerian Universiy Games and has provided research for an upcoming biography for a Nigerian football legend.
Elvis has been a Super Eagles fan since 2004, and them beating defending champions Cameroon in the AFCON that year left a lasting impact on him. He supports Sporting Lagos at club level and loves to watch games live at the Onikan Stadium due to its buzzing atmosphere. His favorite football players are former Nigerian forward, Osaze Odemwingie and former Real Madrid legend Raul Gonzalez.
If Elvis could change one football rule, it would be to not be booked for celebrating with pitch side fans. He believes that football is a passionate game and celebrations should be encouraged to the fullest. When not analyzing the latest previews, Elvis indulges in activities such as swimming, reading, and karaoke.