Red Devils must not let top four slip away – Matic

Manchester United must not blow their bid for a Premier League top-four finish after they were dumped out of the FA Cup in their second consecutive defeat under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Nemanja Matic says.

Saturday’s 2-1 FA Cup quarterfinal defeat at Wolves followed a 2-0 loss in the Premier League to Arsenal last week, the first league reverse under the Norwegian interim boss.

Fifth-placed United are just a point ahead of Chelsea and two points adrift of Arsenal after Solskjaer turned the season around following the sacking of Jose Mourinho, winning 14 of his 19 games and taking them to the Champions League quarterfinals.

But Matic knows United must not let the top four slip away.

“We have to give our best now to reach the top four. We cannot let it go like this.

“We are not happy with the game,” he said after the Molineux defeat.

“We will analyse everything. There is a lot to play for.

“We have eight games to play in the Premier League and we are fighting for the top four.

“We have the Champions League as well.

“We will see what we are able to do and how much quality we have.

“We have to learn from this type of game.”

Marcus Rashford scored an injury-time consolation after Raul Jimenez and Diogo Jota had put Wolves 2-0 up in the second half.

Solskjaer said it was the worst performance of his reign, but Matic expects the boss to put it right.

“I am sure he [Solskjaer] will turn this situation around and we will do better,” he said.

“After the international break we will see.

“The first game back after a break is always difficult, especially with so many players away in the national teams.

“Almost everybody at United is on duty.

“We spoke after the game and said we have to be focused for the next one, stick together and get the top four, which is the main target for us.” –