2. Juan Mata
Five years ago yesterday Juan Mata made his Manchester United debut against Cardiff City, managed by none other than Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. How times have changed!
But the tweets recognising Mata’s anniversary filled me with a little disappointment. Looking at the younger faced Juan who had just signed from Chelsea having won consecutive Player of the Year awards, I questioned whether we’ve seen the best of the little Spaniard.
And the answer is probably, no. Managers often playing him out of position and unfairly leaving him out has meant we’ve never witnessed Mata at his best. Although we’ve seen enough glimpses to realise what a magnificent player he is.
New contract? YES – His contribution to the side is massively underrated. Mata knits United’s play together and the team sometimes looks frantic in possession without him. He’s reaching his twilight years though, no more than a two-year deal would be best.