You wouldn’t exactly say that Juan Mata was sublime against second tier opponents in The FA Cup 4th round tie with Derby on Friday night.
But, in a fairly entertaining game, Mata once more did enough to demonstrate that he is a far better player at number 10 than when he is farmed out to the wing, as he has been for most of his Manchester United career.
Not one to cause a fuss, he’s got on with his job wherever fielded.
But he simply doesn’t have the physical attributes to play out there with any great impact and it’s yet another square peg in a round hole from Louis van Gaal.
But in the middle he can use his talents to good effect. He’s quick on the turn and can slip a pass through the opposition defence with great subtlety and accuracy.
He also showed his finishing ability again on Friday night, coming on to the ball from a central position.
Mata is not a powerful or pacy player. He’s a diminutive creator. And he needs to play at number 10.
Aside from this, a defeat of Derby should hardly get LvG off the hook. The next game against Stoke will be a much better gauge of where Manchester United are at.
And it comes on Tuesday so Manchester United may require some freshening up.
We would bring Carrick back into the fold. He got some minutes against Derby and looks ready to take his place in the engine room once more.
Stoke aren’t the uber-physical side that they once were so we would play Herrera alongside Carrick and give Mata another run in the hole.
And Lingard simply has to go. It was embarrassing watching the comparative outputs of the wingers on Friday.
While Martial was the architect of Derby’s downfall, Lingard was once again completely anonymous for our money.
If he can’t trouble Championship defences is he really a Manchester United player?
Here’s our XI. United fans: let’s have yours.
