United Briefing: Matic is ready for Anfield
Nemanja Matic believes league titles are built on the kind of victory that Manchester United achieved at Turf Moor on Tuesday evening, and feels that the win over Burnley suggests the Reds are ready for a first serious tilt at the Premier League crown since 2013.
“I think this kind of win shows that we are ready to compete for the title,”he said.
“I’m happy for the team performance and spirit and let’s see Sunday against Liverpool. It’s the biggest derby in England and we go there to compete with them and see where we are against one of the best teams in the league. I think we are ready.”
Matic: Our position isn't luckVideo
“Sometimes [in the past] we looked like a team who wants to score as soon as possible, then we get panicked [if we don't score]. I think we showed today more maturity.
“In our team we have lots of quality, and in these types of games you have to use that. You have to be patient and not to panic because when you have that much quality, during 90 minutes one moment will decide [the outcome].
“We showed that we are more clever and on this pitch, in this stadium against Burnley, it is always hard to win these games,”he continued.
“Not to concede a goal from the long balls and set-pieces – we prepared the game well and I think that we deserved these three points.
“[We] say before the game when we had [the] meeting that it was going to be exactly what happened tonight. During the game you have to adapt to their way of the game and to cope with that situation. I think that we did great.
“On the other side, we had some good spells with our football where we played and created some chances. If you see all the game, I think everyone has to be happy and now to forget is quick, and focus on the next one.”
Pogba… oh, what a goal!Video
“We played 17 games [and] we are top of the table. That shows something,”he stressed.
“We didn’t play five or six games and you can say maybe it’s lucky. But after 17 games, definitely it is not lucky, definitely there is quality. But we cannot relax, we need to be concentrated until the end – to go game by game. In football, the next one is always important; the next one is the biggest final, and we will see.”
“Yeah, Paul in the last couple of games, he [has] showed a maturity,”eulogised Matic.
“He showed exactly the way he needs to play. If he continues to play in this way… He is one of the best midfielders in the world. On the pitch he will show exactly what is his potential and that he can be the leader. Yeah, he needs to use what he has in legs [and] in his head.
“I don’t want to say too much more about him, I don’t want him to feel too much big [headed]!”joked Nemanja.
“He is fantastic, as I said, he needs to go game by game. The next one is the most important.”