Manchester United's Nemanja Matic Injured; Likely 'Out for a Couple of Weeks'
Manchester United midfielder Nemanja Matic missed the Red Devils' clash with Liverpool on Sunday and will be absent for two weeks after he picked up an unspecified problem in training.
United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer told MUTV (h/t Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News): "He got injured during one of the training sessions a few days ago, so we tried to get him fit for the game, but it wasn't to be. He'll probably be out for a couple of weeks, so we'll manage without."
The Norwegian is confident Scott McTominay can fill in successfully: "Scott's played these games before. He's an academy kid who knows the importance of these games. He's got...some of the same attributes that Nemanja has, so I'm sure he'll slot in there and do well."
He also explained Anthony Martial's absence for the Liverpool clash, per Simon Peach of the Press Association:
Matic is the type of player who knits things together for United in midfield and has been in good form of late.
He is sharp in his defensive work, often wins his individual battles and is a powerful presence in the air too. Factor in his ability to shield the ball from opponents with his burly frame and neat passing ability, and he can be a key cog in the United setup.
Matic also brings out the best in others around him. He's an expert at shielding the defence, gives the team great balance as a left-footed player and his combativeness also allows attacking midfielders like Paul Pogba to thrive.
United will hope McTominay can mitigate his absence in a key game against their biggest rivals and also in their upcoming games.
The Red Devils face Crystal Palace and Southampton before the second leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie with Paris Saint-Germain, followed by a trip to Arsenal on March 10.
