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Manchester United midfielder Nemanja Matic has backed his team to fight for the Premier League title this season. The Serbian spoke after helping his side to a 3-2 win away at Sheffield United on Thursday.
Manchester United are currently sixth in the league table, five points behind league leaders Liverpool, but have played a game less than each of the five teams above them. This means that if the Red Devils were to win their game in hand, they would leapfrog Tottenham Hotspur to sit second in the league after 13 games, only two points behind reigning champions Liverpool.
It is a massive contrast from the pessimism at the start of the season, when Manchester United slipped to a 6-1 humbling at Spurs' hands, their second defeat in the first three games. The Red Devils have now won five of their last six games in the league, and Matic has every right to feel a little optimistic.
Matic says Manchester United have to be consistent if they want the title
Manchester United went a goal down early at Bramall Lane but mounted a fantastic comeback to win the game ultimately. After the game, Matic brushed aside claims that his team were slow starters, focusing instead on his team’s ability to turn the game on its head.
"I don't think we started slowly. We knew what to expect, that they would fight for their life. Unluckily we conceded a goal with a small mistake but we were capable of turning the game around and scoring three goals. It's a very important three points for us, it takes us closer to the top teams."
The Manchester United midfielder claimed that his team has the quality to fight for the title.
"If we continue this way...it's going to be tight sometimes but we have to show our quality every single game. I believe we have the quality to fight for the title; if we are going to win, I don't know."
Even though Manchester United have put together a decent run of results, perhaps it is too early to put them in the conversation for a title charge.
The Red Devils have various issues to contend with at the moment. Some of them include their poor home form, Paul Pogba’s uncertain future, and glaring holes in the backline.
However, if Ole Gunnar Solskjaer manages to address those issues, there’s no denying that Manchester United have the quality and the pedigree to battle for the top prize.
