Football
Arindam Rej, Man United Correspondent 7y

Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata: I haven't changed since Chelsea

Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata has told the Sunday Mirror he has not changed his game since moving to Old Trafford from Chelsea.

Mata was sold to United by Jose Mourinho when the Portuguese was at Chelsea in January 2014.

The Spain midfielder had been Chelsea's Player of the Year in successive seasons but lost his regular starting place when Mourinho took over for a second spell at Stamford Bridge.

But Mata has started nine of United's Premier League games under the manager so far this season and has also served as stand-in captain.

"The teams are different, the clubs are different, the squad is different," he said. "I just try to play the best I can in every single game.

"That is what I tried at Chelsea and that is what I'm trying now. I'm happy in my football and I'm enjoying it.

"But I don't see that I'm not doing the same as I did at Chelsea. I'm doing the same but sometimes circumstances change. Obviously this is a different circumstance than when we were at Chelsea."

Mata, who has scored five goals in all competitions for United this season, has been described as "one of most underrated players in the Premier League" by Jamie Carragher.

The former England defender said: "When you think of great No. 10s who get between the lines, you think of [Mesut] Ozil, [Kevin] De Bruyne, [Philippe] Coutinho, [David] Silva and Eden Hazard, but Mata more than matches up.

"In the big games no one does better than Mata, and he doesn't get the credit the others get."

^ Back to Top ^