Nev full of praise for hat-trick hero
NEMANJA Matic has opened up on the experience of playing behind Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes for the first time in the United midfield, and also set Anthony Martial a challenge of keeping up his good form in the future.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer paired the duo together from the start in United’s 3-0 win over Sheffield United, which was secured by an Anthony Martial hat-trick.
Both Fernandes and Pogba impressed, having featured together for half an hour against Tottenham last week.
Matic was also very solid in the most defensive of the three United midfield roles.
And the Serbia international talked up both players after the game and the general strength in depth now available to United.
“I think it’s always good play with top players,” Matic told MUTV.
“Not only them, we’re lucky we have top players in every position. So tonight I played with
Bruno and Paul, I think we did well, it was good there, I’m sure in the future we can improve a lot together, and also with Scott [McTominay] and Fred, whoever plays with us – I’m happy with the team performance and the way we controlled the game.
“I think we had control during all 90 minutes. Of course we knew they were going to have some dangerous counter attacks because tactically they play well.
“We analysed them very well, we treated them with respect.”
FORMER United defender Gary Neville lauded hat-trick hero Anthony Martial throughout the Frenchman’s performance against Sheffield United.
Martial scored both of United’s goals as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team went into the break with a two-goal advantage, and he completed his hat-trick after the interval.
Martial turned home a powerful cross from Marcus Rashford in the first half before turning in Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s pass in very similar circumstances.
He then scored his third in the second half, delicately dinking the onrushing visiting goalkeeper Simon Moore after a neat team move.
“So clinical from Martial. Emphatic with his finishes,” Neville said after Martial’s second. “Chances he has made look really easy. Lots of passes around that 18-yard-box. Wan-Bissaka decides to go on his own and similar to his (Martial’s) first goal he (Wan-Bissaka) just puts the ball into a really good area.
“Martial gets across that defender and there is pace on the ball just like the first, and that is a lot more difficult than he has made it look.
“Composure, control and pass the goalkeeper.”
Commenting on the Frenchman’s third goal, Neville said: “A big moment from Anthony Martial. Really good. Pogba into Fernandes, the clip round the corner. United’s play is really good.
“You think Rashford is going to go left to Luke Shaw, but he doesn’t. It’s all about the finish – the goalkeeper goes down early – Martial sees that and dinks it wonderfully over him.”