Ralf Rangnick could hand Nemanja Matic further opportunities in Manchester United’s upcoming games after name-checking him on Wednesday night.
Matic came off the bench in the 66th minute as part of a triple substitution from Rangnick in the 1-1 draw against Atletico Madrid.
United had struggled to get a foothold in the match and trailed because of Joao Felix’s fantastic flying header in the seventh minute.
The away side rode their luck in Madrid and were perhaps fortunate not to be further behind in the second half.
But Matic’s arrival, alongside full-backs Alex Telles and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, helped shift the momentum before fellow substitute Anthony Elanga grabbed the equaliser.
Elanga raced onto Bruno Fernandes ’ through-ball and beat Jan Oblak one-on-one to give United a good chance of progression in the second leg at Old Trafford on March 15.
The post-match reaction was understandably dominated by Elanga – and the latest song for the United supporters to sing – but Rangnick was quick to highlight Matic’s impact.
"Yes, I know and of course, everybody could hear them singing that song," Rangnick said. "Rhythm Is A Dancer, yes, I know that song. It's nice for the boy and it shows how creative our supporters are.
"But I also must say while all the headlines were quite logically in his favour it was not only him, I think.
“In the second-half, we changed the momentum, we regrouped the whole team, it was not only him but the other players and other substitutes, including Nemanja Matic, who helped to change the game."
The make-up of the midfield has been an enduring issue for United this season under both Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Rangnick.
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Both managers have tended to opt for Fred alongside Scott McTominay at the base of midfield, but it was Paul Pogba who got the nod against Atleti as the Scotland international missed out through illness.
Donny van de Beek’s loan move to Everton has freed up a bit more space in the middle of the pitch, with Jesse Lingard still limited to cameo appearances.
After his low-key impact in Spain, Matic could therefore be set for a more influential role under Rangnick for the rest of the campaign.
The experienced 33-year-old has made 21 appearances in all competitions so far this season, but just eight of those have been starts in the Premier League.
Unlike Pogba and Lingard, Matic is under contract with United until June 2023 and his presence could be required in the upcoming games against Watford and Manchester City.
"It's very important but this is the case with almost every game we have in the future," Rangnick said.
"We have to keep the momentum, win tomorrow against Watford and be ready for the upcoming games against the top teams. We are fully aware we have to win tomorrow.
"For us, it only makes sense to take one game after another, now the job is to fully recover from the game the day before yesterday, play at the highest possible level tomorrow at home, hopefully win the game against Watford and then we have a normal week to prepare for the derby against Manchester City."
