Juan Mata’s performance against Sunderland at the weekend gave evidence of why he’ll be so key to Manchester United as they try to maintain their good start to the season.
The Spaniard was awarded man of the match on Saturday. With a goal and an assist, that award was well-deserved. It was a continuation of his fine form statistically, he “has either scored or assisted in five of his last six Premier League appearances,” per OptaJoe’s Twitter.
Yet this all happening in spite of the fact he’s been deployed in an unfamiliar position. Mata hasn’t been used in his more favourable No.10 position, and more used as a “false right-winger,” as his manager Louis van Gaal describes.
Despite starting the season very well offensively, Mata has improved defensively by providing support for his full back as the Spaniard has made an average of 1.4 tackles and 1.3 interceptions in the league this season. This is a departure for Mata, who has never averaged an interception per game in any previous season of his career.
When United do have possession of the ball, Mata’s instinct – and presumably his instruction, given how long he has been doing it without any correction from van Gaal – is to come in off the wing.
His heat map against Sunderland shows he barely made a touch anywhere near the byline in behind the full back – in a position where a more traditional winger would have plenty more. Instead, his activity is more on the right-hand side of the pitch around 25-30 yards from goal. He is, essentially playing as a No.10, who drifts out wide every now and then.
Mata does the defensive part of the role well enough that he causes no trouble to the team in that regard. And his attacking contribution offers things hardly anyone else in the United team can.
He might well have the softest touch out of all of van Gaal’s attackers, which he showed against Ipswich Town in midweek. The Spaniard controlled the ball out of the sky and stopped the momentum beautifully. It was shown again, against Sunderland on Saturday, Ashley Young delivered the ball across the six-yard box and Juan stopped the ball perfectly as he netted United’s third late on.
Van Gaal has brought a very different approach to Manchester United. The measured, patient build-up play requires moments of invention and intelligence to turn dominance into goals. Juan Mata has and will continue to provide plenty of them. He is a vital part of United’s recent good form and will be integral to any success they have this season.
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