Juan Mata returns to Stamford Bridge on Saturday in fine form for Manchester United and ready to show Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea what they’re missing. Louis van Gaal has worked hard to find a position for the Spanish playmaker but is now reaping the rewards, writes Adam Bate...
Juan Mata will remember this fixture from last season. With Chelsea 3-0 up against Manchester United midway through the second half, Jose Mourinho elected to withdraw Oscar. But the Blues boss turned to John Obi Mikel rather than the playmaker among his substitutes.
“To see him on the bench is weird,” said international team-mate Santi Cazorla at the time. “He should ask Mourinho to know why he does not trust him.” The conversation must have been brief. Mata left Chelsea for Manchester United in a £37.1million deal the following week.
Although David Moyes welcomed Mata as “one of the finest playmakers in the game today” upon his arrival, the Spain international could have been forgiven for thinking he’d traded one awkward situation for another. He’d made only a dozen appearances for United before Moyes was sacked.
When Ryan Giggs went with youngsters Tom Lawrence, James Wilson and Adnan Januzaj for United’s final home game of the season, Mata was back among the unused substitutes once again. More worryingly, there was a growing suspicion that he was in danger of becoming an anachronism.
Such is Mourinho’s reputation as a tactician that his unwillingness to put Mata at the heart of his Chelsea plans led to a complete rethink regarding the midfielder’s credentials. Having been Chelsea’s player of the year twice in a row, there was suddenly a more critical eye on his performances.
Dynamic?
Despite an impressive goal return in his first few months at Old Trafford, the ongoing malaise added to the sense that Mata was another problem to be solved rather than the answer itself. Gary Neville expressed the thoughts of many when questioning whether the 26-year-old was “dynamic enough”.
That feels a long time ago now. Mata showed just what he can contribute when he produced a man-of-the-match display in a 2-1 win over Liverpool last month, scoring both of United's goals along the way - including a stunning volley to double the lead.
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