Matic backing Solskjaer stay despite United wobble

Nemanja Matic has backed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to get Manchester United back on track after consecutive defeats and wants the crowd favourite to remain as manager for the long term.

United lost 2-1 to Wolves in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Saturday, six days on from their first domestic defeat of Solskjaer’s tenure at Arsenal in the Premier League.

They remain well placed in a top-four battle they looked set to observe from a distance during the final days of Jose Mourinho’s reign, while the Champions League quarter-final draw has thrown up a mouth-watering showdown with Barcelona.

“I am sure the manager will turn this situation around and we will do better,” Matic said, as quoted by United’s official website.

“I want Ole to stay. He is a great manager, very positive.

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

Matic added: “Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham will give their best to be in the top four. Everybody knows that.

“If you see that two months ago we were 11 points behind Chelsea, then now we are in a much better position. We have eight finals to play for us so we have to learn from this defeat.”

The #PL top six looks like this after Matchweek 31 pic.twitter.com/JDzoWSL8Ni

— Premier League (@premierleague) March 17, 2019

Arsenal occupy fourth spot in the Premier League and are two points ahead of United with eight games remaining after their potentially pivotal win over Solskjaer’s side at Emirates Stadium.

Chelsea are a point further back in sixth following their 2-0 defeat at Everton on Sunday, while third-placed Tottenham are a point better off than Arsenal but must still have to travel to both Liverpool and Manchester City before the end of the season.