He was a collective groan on social media when Manchester United’s starting lineup against Newcastle was announced an hour before the start on Saturday night.
After a summer when club enthusiasts expected to welcome Jadon Sancho, many now became exasperated to see Juan Mata and Daniel James occupy the two broad positions for this match.
The consensus around Spanish for this year’s high is that it is now too higher, too slow and exceeded its best level.
When football restarted in June after the coronavirus outbreak, Mata was limited to just 21 minutes of action in the last nine league games this season interrupted.
Seven times in all nine games, Mata had the indignity of being an unused substitute as it seemed that his face no longer had compatibility with what is now a young and full-paced team.
But the broad smile on Mata’s face when he was later replaced in St James Park showed that the idea that he had gone to some extent to banish that perception.
In the last 92 minutes, Mata had helped motivate United to a 4–1 victory, and would then be hailed by Marcus Rashford as the player of the match.
The Spanish one of the great architects of this vital victory with his vision, his fast passes and his calm confidence.
Mata parked the night on the left, but spent most of his time wandering into the middle, where he used his vision with a wonderful effect.
Bruno Fernandes to enjoy having a like-minded player so close to him, and in combination, the couple exchanged 31 assists.
On a night when Mata advances with 92% accuracy, he also provided the corner for Harry Maguire’s tie, the Fernandes purpose pass he ruled through the VAR and the pass to Rashford before preparing Fernandes to put United.
It could have been Mata’s first start to the season in the Premier League, and the first in the festival since February, but it seemed to have compatibility and decided that it still has a lot to offer United.
There were signs of a renewed vigor for Mata with his league cup performances this season, earning him the club’s Player of the Month award in September.
But back on the Premier League scene, their plans helped United record 28 shots (14 frames) against Newcastle, more than they had achieved in any game last season, and that of any league team so far in this campaign.
“John is playing fantastic,” said his coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer enthusiastically after the match. “He’s so professional and everyone on the team knows his qualities. He’s so patient, waiting for the opportunity.
“I get questions about our players when they play and why they don’t play. We have a lot of smart players and it’s about looking for your luck when you have them. John did.
Over the past season, United’s attack reserve was thought not smart enough and did not have Solskjaer’s full confidence, but Mata, 32, is now starting to be different.
I am an experienced sports writer, who for more than 20 years has written for more than 80 websites, magazines and newspapers about the global Bleacher Report,
I am an experienced sport that, for more than 20 years, has written for more than 80 websites, magazines and newspapers around the world, adding Bleacher Report, Esquire, The Times and FourFourTwo. I interviewed many of the most sensitive athletes, adding Sir Alex Ferguson, David Beckham, George Best and LeBron James, and covered the Premier League, World Cup final, European Championships, Olympic Games, Champions League and Super Bowl. I have also written several books, including For Club and Country with Gary and Phil Neville and Best XI through Manchester United.