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There seemed a time when Nemanja Matić was destined to unceremoniously depart Old Trafford after he had seen a drastic decline in his playing time - but he’s since become an essential cog in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s rapidly improving machine.
By the start of November last year, the Serbian had only featured in two Premier League games and notched up just 350 minutes of first-team football. The season before he’d played in 41 games and totalled upwards of 3,000 minutes.
Come January, Nemanja Matić himself looked ready to admit his departure was imminent as Solskjaer endeavoured to build a dynamic squad, a concept seemingly at odds with the robust and patient style of Matić’s method of play in midfield.
Matić’s ponderous nature and time spent looking for passes frequently slowed down the United attack with the final product often found lacking and leaving Solskjaer frustrated in the dugout. He just didn’t fit in with United’s vision for the future.
Additionally, with the renewed performances of Fred this season, along with the consistent growth in quality from Scott McTominay, Matić looked to have fallen to fifth in the midfield pecking order, behind the aforementioned duo, Bruno Fernandes, and Paul Pogba.
But Matić, once a relic of the Jose Mourinho era, and a reminder of the turgid performances that haunted Old Trafford at that time, now finds himself at the epicentre of a new-look Manchester United.
It could be considered a stroke of good luck for Matić, in a slightly warped sense, that McTominay suffered an injury on Boxing Day which kept him out for two months and forced Solskjaer to bring the Serbian into the team. Before that, Matić’s last start in the Premier League had been a 2-0 loss at West Ham in September.
In the period without Premier League time, he’d managed a few Europa League games and racked up some League Cup appearances - he’d come in as a rotation player, filling odd gaps where needed but was never assured of a significant role in the squad.
Following his coverage of the void left by Scott McTominay, who had otherwise been enjoying a tremendous season, Nemanja Matić was rewarded with a one-year contract extension that will keep him at Old Trafford until at least next summer. At only 31, many had once considered that the best had been seen from the former Chelsea man.
Nemanja Matic is a man with new-found vigour and promise
However, with 12 games this season and 1, 093 minutes for United under his belt, Nemanja Matić looks to have stated the case that he has a lot more to offer United, who will look to continue on their current trajectory.
So crucial has Nemanja Matić been in the games that he’s played so far that he hasn’t been taken off once this season, whereas he’s featured from the bench five times. His total of 11 yellow cards for the season, the most behind Luke Shaw and Ashley Young, are indicative of the role he’s played for the side.
Defensively this season, Nemanja Matić’s performances rank him as one of the top performers in the United squad for a number Premier League KPIs per 90 minutes, including interceptions (0.4), tackles (1.8), and blocks (0.4).
Part of the resurgence witnessed could be attributed to the balance United have found offensively, for the first time approaching each game with a strategy towards scoring. Granted, the snatch-and-grab technique has proven itself far more useful against opposition less inclined to sit back. But Nemanja Matić, ill-suited to the speed, can rely on those around him to shoulder that burden.
Conversely, when encountering opposition content to let United come at them, Nemanja Matić’s presence just outside the box provides a barrier against the counter. It also offers a useful outlet if the holes aren’t being created, with Nemanja Matić able to switch play and shift the focus of attack.
Without the ball, Nemanja Matić can now be left to his devices. Adept at playing an essential role in breaking up opposition play and bolstering the defence with a collected head, he’s an invaluable resource.
Nemanja Matić has adapted his game to fit alongside the pace of his team, accepting he cannot match it for intensity, instead electing to become a catalyst for the rest of the team to work, averaging 55 passes a game, third-most for a midfielder behind Pogba and Fred. Moulding his style to gel with the squad is evidence of how important he can be for United going forward.
And during the coming to terms with his squad role and gradually shifting his style to complement the team, United retained through Nemanja Matic something only two other members of the squad have - the experience of winning the Premier League.
Smarterscout reported that United have the youngest average starting XI this season at 25.2 based on playing time. It’s just younger than Chelsea at 25.8 and Bournemouth at 25.9. As such, the experiences offered by Nemanja Matić, Juan Mata and David de Gea could prove to be a useful guiding hand for the young side.
The remainder of the season, let alone the one year left on his contract, gives Matić plenty of time to prove his worth to Solskjaer. It may prove difficult as United have several promising academy prospects coming through, such as James Garner, Dylan Levitt and Ethan Galbraith. But don’t count Nemanja Matić out too soon.
