Manchester United midfielder Nemanja Matic says Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will have to hold himself responsible if the club do not compete for the Premier League title this season.
Matic, has been frozen out by Solskjaer this season and played only 22 minutes after making one appearance as a substitute against Southampton.
United started the season on a good note thrashing Chelsea 4-0 at home, but have to have struggled to get going since that fixture at the Old Trafford.
The Red Devils are eighth in the table after four games and trail league leaders Liverpool by seven points.
“The coach must opt for the team that will fight for the title and if he does not win, he bears the responsibility,” Matic told reporters ahead of Serbia’s European Qualifier against Portugal.
“I have been in football for a long time, I have played almost all the games for all the clubs in the last 10 years. In order for me to play, one had to sit on the bench and accept that fact, and so do I now.”
Solskjaer has picked 22-year-old Scott McTominay to partner Paul Pogba in central midfield in United’s first four games and although Matic respects the decision, he is determined to prove the Norwegian wrong.
“In the first two or three games he picked the team without me,” Matic added.
“I work as hard as I can. We respect the decision, it’s up to me to show him that he was wrong and to bring me back to where I belong.
“There is no problem. I told him I disagreed with him but that he had to decide the team.”
United return to league action after the international break when they host Brendan Rodgers’ unbeaten Leicester at Old Trafford on September 14.
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