WE KNEW already that Nemanja Matic was not a happy camper .
He recently snubbed a charity gala dinner organised by Manchester United.
Matic played like someone who knew that he is no longer wanted nor valued that muchCredit: EPA
A couple of days later he was in and out of training within 24 minutes.
This season even allowing for a month-long injury he has also been all but bombed out by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
But the poker-faced Serbian who has always struggled to crack a smile even at the best of times looked particularly miserable against Alkmar.
And his performance matched his demeanour.
For he played like someone who knew that he is no longer wanted nor valued that much.
And in the way he played during a first half that could have been highly embarrassing for United, why would he be?
As a holding midfielder supposedly guarding the back four he was little more than a spare part.
The Dutch side missed a couple of very decent chances and created plenty of interesting attacking scenarios but the 31 year was MIA.
When Solskjaer’s side tried to move through the gears going forward he was stuck in first.
In the end it didn’t matter for United swept aside the Eredivisie’s second-placed side in a stunning second half onslaught.
But it will have mattered to Matic.
For with the January sales coming up he will surely fear that this might just have been his last chance to prove he is still worth keeping.
Instead, that is, of being disposed of as Solskjaer gains more momentum in what is more and more beginning to look like an Old Trafford youth convention.
United swept aside the Eredivisie’s second-placed side in a stunning second half onslaughtCredit: PA:Press Association
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
