A section of Manchester United players have reportedly questioned Jose Mourinho's decision to stick with Nemanja Matic in his starting line-up despite the Serbian's significant decline in form in the recent past.
Matic has been a regular at United since his move from Chelsea in the summer of 2017, playing 36 league games last season and nine this campaign.
However, despite his high work rate in the middle of the pack in his early days at Old Trafford, Matic's recent performances have seen him come under sharp criticism from his own teammates.
His lackluster performance alongside Ander Herrera and Marouane Fellaini during United's 3-1 defeat to rivals Man City in the Manchester derby have further deepened Matic's woes at the club.
According to reports filtering through in the UK, some United players and backroom staff now want the 30-year-old dropped from the squad.
Mourinho's unwavering support for the former Chelsea star is now said to be causing tension inside United's dressing room.
"Jose Mourinho's reluctance to drop Nemanja Matic has caused some consternation within certain elements of the Manchester United dressing room," a United source divulged to The Times.
"Mourinho's support of Matic has surprised some players and staff, who feel the midfielder is practically untouchable regardless of his form."
Interestingly, the Portuguese tactician did not point a finger at Matic owning to the midfielder's poor man-marking of Ilkay Gundogan that resulted to City's third goal in the derby.
Instead, Mourinho asserted his game plan was ruined because he was forced to start Fellaini.
That said, it remains to be seen if the United boss will drop Matic in their next fixture against Crystal Palace.
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