‘BLAME ME FOR SOME BAD RESULTS’

BLAME for some of Manchester United’s wretched performances last season must go to Nemanja Matic admits the Serbian, saying: “I let myself and the team down.”

The experienced £40million holding midfielder played 28 of United’s 38 Premier League games as United stumbled to a sixth-place finish.

Matic started in both the shocking 4-0 away hammering at Everton and the dismal 1-1 draw at relegated Huddersfield at the end of the season, as United’s campaign came to a miserable finish.

And the former Chelsea title-winner admits it was painful to be part of a woeful climax to another season of underachievement by United.

“Of course, it hurt,” he said. “When I come home, I always look in the mirror and I want to see where I could do better, where I can improve. I wasn’t happy with the performances. There were some games that I played great, there were some games I didn’t perform the way I wanted. But this is football. It can’t always be at that high level and I am sure this season is going to be better.”

Matic has looked lean, fit and energised on United’s summer tour – and claims his first proper, full pre-season in three years is already paying dividends.

After playing all three of Serbia’s 2018 World Cup games against Costa Rica, Switzerland and Brazil in Russia last summer, Matic was given an extended break and missed United’s pre-season conditioning work. That left him undercooked when the season started and the star, 30, admits it had an impact on his campaign.

This time, though, he is raring to go in United’s opening game of the new season against Chelsea at Old Trafford.

“I have started this pre-season with the team after three years without pre-season,” he said. “I am sure I will perform in the way I’m used to.”