Yahoo Sport 
Underappreciated Juan Mata continues to shine for Manchester United
Juan Mata probably isnât the first name that anyone, let alone Jose Mourinho, would put down on the Manchester United team sheet. Quite the contrary. In fact, when United are looking to change their style or formation heâs usually the first to be flung on his ear.
But a rather damning stat has emerged that proves the diminutive Spaniard, who never looks satisfied but, regardless of his berth, is always comfortable as he probes and attacks with the ball, has actually become one of Manchester Unitedâs most integral players.
After Manchester Unitedâs shellacking at the hands of Chelsea on Sunday evening Squawkaâs Kevin Blundell took to Twitter to reveal that when Juan Mata has started for Manchester United this season theyâve gone on to win 4 and draw 1 of their 5 games. Without him, theyâve drawn one and lost 3.
Just to underline the Spaniardâs influence, Mata returned to the starting eleven against Manchester City on Wednesday and scored the decisive goal that allowed United to progress to the quarter finals of the EFL cup, gain revenge for their defeat to City last month, and continue Pep Guardiolaâs poor run of results while hinting that Mourinho has the full support and desire of his roster.
Mataâs goal, and Unitedâs lack of form without him in their team, make it impossible to ignore how important he has now become at Old Trafford. While he is regularly and harshly admonished for his lack of speed and strength, Mata is rarely injured, always positive with the ball, can play across the front-line, and in 116 games has now scored 29 and assisted 18. A return thatâs made even more impressive when you consider just how lacklustre the Manchester United sides under David Moyes and Louis Van Gaal were.
Because Mourinho sold Mata when he returned to Chelsea in 2013 there was an assumption that history would repeat itself when he arrived at Old Trafford in the summer. Instead Mata has so far scored 2 and assisted 1 in five starts, and done such a good job of keeping the ÂŁ26 million acquisition Henrikh Mkhitaryan out of the side that the Armenian has seemingly been exiled.
Mata was also at the heart of Manchester Unitedâs best performance of the season so far, which saw them annihilate Leicester City 4-1, during which he scored their best goal of the season, too, sweeping home a glorious finish following an intricate build-up and delightful Paul Pogba flick-through.
Liverpool and Chelseaâs similar victories over the Champions have undermined this triumph, but the three man midfield of Mata alongside Paul Pogba, with Ander Herrera deep, which was used in the subsequent game with Stoke City that United somehow conspired to draw despite dominating, has been the most productive and impressive in the opening weeks of the season.
Jose Mourinho pragmatically decided that Juan Mata was too lightweight to start against Liverpool and Chelsea, replacing him with Marouane Fellaini, and it was immediately apparent that United were desperately lacking without his drive and edge. But Mataâs goal against Manchester City was yet another reminder of why the quiet, unassuming, and refreshingly polite midfield maestro might actually be the integral cog to make United raucous again.
[Images via Getty/Shaun Botterill & Getty/Clive Brunskill]
