Player Focus: Can Mata Ever Justify His Role at Manchester United?

The hysteria that followed Juan Mata’s extravagant move to Manchester United offered promise to a spectacular career for the Spanish playmaker at Old Trafford. Not even Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteiger was afforded the same Hollywood treatment as Mata when he touched down at United’s Carrington training complex in a helicopter ahead of his then club-record £37.1m deal. 18 months on, though, and it’s been anything but spectacular as the 27-year-old continues to divide opinion between United supporters.

It seems inconceivable to suggest a player that has played a direct hand in more league goals than any of his United teammates (29) since he signed is still trying to justify his purpose, yet this has been a problem Mata has struggled to shake off throughout his curious United career.

He was heralded as the creator-in-chief United were crying out for when he joined in January 2014. He was billed as the ideal No.10 that could drift in between the lines and help bridge the gap between United's turgid midfield and attack and, perhaps more pertinently, the signing to shape both Ed Woodward and David Moyes in their new roles.

This, after all, was a player that had been voted Chelsea's Player of the Year in each of his two full seasons at the club, during a period where no player had laid on more assists than the pint-sized playmaker in the Premier League (25).

While United dressed the capture up as a reminder of their status as one of the premier clubs on the planet, Jose Mourinho knew he had just recouped a mouth-watering sum for a player that had become surplus to requirements following the emergence of Oscar. Nevertheless, it was a bitter pill to swallow for a large section of the Chelsea faithful, for whom they’d developed such a formidable bond.

This is of stark contrast to the relationship he's shared with the United supporters, who can be caught both gleaming at his artistry and incensed by his sporadic involvement in equal measure. His average WhoScored rating of 7.06 – down from 7.21 at Chelsea – in the league would suggest some of those frustrations are well placed.

Although, it would be harsh to level all the criticism in Mata's direction given the fact he has been played out of position regularly during his time at Old Trafford. In fact, only a quarter of his 55 appearances have come as starts in his favoured No.10 role (14), despite averaging a vastly improved WhoScored rating of 7.33 here.

Mata has been unfortunate in that Rooney’s status in the squad will always trump his ability, which is a factor that has partly forced Van Gaal to convert him into a ‘false right winger’ more often that not. His presence along the white paint is something that has particularly tempered fans, who have become accustomed to seeing the likes of David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo occupying the right flank at Old Trafford in years gone by.

The Spain international has still garnered a respectable rating from his 23 starts on the right (7.19), where he has managed to play a direct part in 13 goals (7 goals + 6 assists). The United No.8 is still given the creative freedom to cut inside from the right, but his ability to impact proceedings is significantly handicapped by the kind of defensive duties that saw his Chelsea career diminish under Mourinho.

The fact that he boasts statistically calculated WhoScored weaknesses of ‘tackling’ and ‘defensive contribution’ would give further evidence to a part of his game that will never be an asset of United's.

However, despite being hampered by the demands that come with playing out wide, Mata has still proven to be a creative outlet attempting to drive United forward in Van Gaal's possession-based system, which can only be a testament to his natural ability.

Even though his performances have not quite matched the ones that earned him the adulation of the Chelsea crowd, he has still savoured his better displays for the big occasions at United, having garnered three of his highest WhoScored ratings against Liverpool (8.96 & 8.24) and Manchester City (8.24) during the Van Gaal regime thus far.

The fourth came against Sunderland on Saturday (8.42), where Mata not only unselfishly set up Memphis' goal, but also scored one himself in a routine 3-0 win. In fact, Mata's latest outing now means he's directly played a part in half of United's 12 league goals this season (6 - 3 goals + 3 assists) and his WhoScored rating of 7.42 can only be beaten by Anthony Martial (8.07) for the Red Devils, emphasising his growing importance to this United team despite seldom giving the impression he has performed to any exceptional standard.

It is also notable that only Santi Cazorla (23) and David Silva (19) have created more clear-cut chances in the Premier League than Mata (18) since he landed in Manchester. The former Valencia midfielder has also completed at least 30 more key passes than any other teammate (98) and, not only that; no United player has been awarded the WhoScored man of the match accolade more times in the league than Mata (5).

This is not only a playmaker that is creating chances for his teammates, but one that is also finishing them off, fulfilling the principle reason behind United's decision to shatter their club-transfer record to sign him. No United player has scored more league goals than Mata in 2015 (7), yet you still get the sense that it’s his position up for grabs when the transfer window opens again in January.

The expectation that Mata would have solved all of United's problems when they were still in the primitive stages of recovery following Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement may well have played a part in what has been a peculiar career for the Spaniard at Old Trafford.

However, with Memphis still finding his feet and Rooney still trying to rediscover any semblance of his best form, Van Gaal may struggle to justify replacing a player who is undoubtedly proving a rich source of positivity in an often frustrating United frontline.

Perhaps Mata will only truly be appreciated at Old Trafford if United can go on to win the Premier League title this season.

With Mata in this purple patch of form you can trade his value on Buabook, the first player trading exchange