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United were dumped out of the FA Cup on Saturday. EMPICS Sport

Matic urges Man United not to let top four slip away after FA Cup exit

‘We cannot let it go like this. We are not happy with the game.’

NEMANJA MATIC SAYS Manchester United must not blow their bid for a Premier League top-four finish after they were dumped out of the FA Cup in their second consecutive defeat under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Saturday’s 2-1 FA Cup quarter-final defeat at Wolves followed a 2-0 loss in the Premier League Arsenal last week, the first league reverse under the Norwegian interim boss.

Fifth-placed United are just a point ahead of Chelsea and two points adrift of Arsenal after Solskjaer turned the season around following the sacking of Jose Mourinho, winning 14 of his 19 games and taking them to the Champions League quarter-finals.

But Matic knows United must not let the top four slip away.

“We have to give our best now to reach the top four. We cannot let it go like this. We are not happy with the game,” he said after the Molineux defeat.

“We will analyse everything. There is a lot to play for. We have eight games to play in the Premier League and we are fighting for the top four.

We have the Champions League as well. We will see what we are able to do and how much quality we have. We have to learn from this type of game.

Marcus Rashford scored an injury-time consolation after Raul Jimenez and Diogo Jota had put Wolves 2-0 up in the second half.

Solskjaer said it was the worst performance of his reign but Matic expects the boss to put it right.

“I am sure he (Solskjaer) will turn this situation around and we will do better,” he said.

“After the international break we will see. The first game back after a break is always difficult, especially for a team who has so many players away in the national teams. Almost everybody at United is on duty.

“We spoke after the game and said we have to be focused for the next one and stick together and get the top four, which is the main target for us.

“I want Ole to stay. He is a great manager, very positive and the club will decide.”

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    Mute dabuyincojen
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    Dec 19th 2014, 9:35 AM

    If he does live Dortmund. Think Liverpool would suit him. He seems to be able to achieve alot with limited resources and young players. Could be what the pool needs. Don’t want to see Rodgers go but Klopp would be a good replacement. YNWA

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    Mute Mark Lillis
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    Dec 19th 2014, 10:10 AM

    If he was to go to Liverpool and do what he has done at Dortmund, Liverpool would have a few good seasons before becoming a feeder club to teams with more money. They would end up in the relegation zone before he moved on to do the same in Spain or Italy.

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    Mute Derek Mahon
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    Dec 19th 2014, 10:10 AM

    Klopp could do a lot better than us, and that’s coming from a liverpool fan.

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    Mute Paul Mallon
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    Dec 19th 2014, 1:37 PM

    I still think arsenal would be mad to let wenger go. Much harder to win the English league than the German one. I think if arsenal do let wenger go they’ll only realise what they’ve lost afterwards.

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    Mute Harry Redmond
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    Dec 19th 2014, 8:23 PM

    I don’t think Klopp is the right choice for Arsenal and maybe not Liverpool. The reason they’re doing well in the CL and horrifically in the league is because they have one gameplan and domestic opposition and copped onto it. They sit back and hit on the counter to negate Dortmund’s high energy attacks. They’re afforded more time on the ball in the CL and that means they’re doing well but Klopp hasn’t adapted at all with Dortmund, Guardiola has worked out how to adjust his plan for different opponents and completely deserves the continued domination in Germany whereas Dortmund have fallen away.

    I am not at all saying that Klopp is a bad manager, but seeing fans beg for their manager to be sacked and to have him placed as a saviour for any team in need simply isn’t correct.

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