Solskjaer confirms Matic will stay at Man Utd 100 percent

Manchester United’s Nemanja Matic has completed a remarkable turnaround in fortunes by agreeing a new deal to stay at Old Trafford.

Matic, 31, looked certain to leave the club earlier this season when he struggled for form and fitness and was regarded by fans as a symbol of the previous unpopular Jose Mourinho regime.

However, the Serbian midfielder’s reintroduction to the first XI in December coincided with improved results for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side and talks have taken place successfully about extending a contract due to expire in the summer.

‘We have agreed with him so he will stay. 100 per cent,’ confirmed Solskjaer, whose side are on a nine-match unbeaten run heading into Sunday’s Manchester derby at Old Trafford.

The news will lift United as they attempt to complete a first Premier League double over their noisy neighbours since Sir Alex Ferguson’s time in 2010 when Paul Scholes scored an injury-time winner at The Etihad.

Since then, City have dominated the Manchester landscape, winning four Premier League titles and a unique domestic Treble. Solskjaer acknowledges 10 years is too long to wait to beat City home and away.

‘That stat is not nice to hear. It is one of our challenges to close this gap,’ he reflected.

‘Every game against City is competitive. We have shown we can compete with them on a given day and we are building the squad to get the consistency we need.

‘I have seen improvement throug the season but it’s easier for me to say that when you are nine games unbeaten. I know we let ourselves down at times early in the season but some performances also didn’t get the deserved results.‘The new signings we’ve made have given us that little edge. We are getting better but not going to get carried away being fifth in the table or unbeaten in nine. That used to be the norm and going through good patches should be the norm for this club.

‘I think we will become more consistent, challenge for trophies and close the gap in the league as well. Start by winning our individual battles and we will win more and more games against City.’