Man Utd star Juan Mata is the 'thinking man's footballer' - Jamie Redknapp



Juan Mata (second from left) turned in an excellent display for Manchester United



JAMIE REDKNAPP reckons Juan Mata is the one player that makes Manchester United tick.

 

Mata got on the scoresheet as the Red Devils beat Southampton 3-2 away yesterday.

And Redknapp insists Mata is a special player in Louis van Gaal's side.

"Juan Mata might not necessarily be the main man for Manchester United going forward, but you cannot deny his goalscoring record at the club," Redknapp wrote in his column for the Daily Mail.

"It is excellent for a midfielder — only Robin van Persie (18) and Wayne Rooney (25) have bettered the Spaniard’s 17 strikes for United since he joined in January 2013.

 

"With the signings made in the summer a lot of people assumed Mata would be the man to lose his place in the starting XI. Right now he’s doing more than enough to justify his place.

"He must be a dream player to work with. He is a class act, never complains, is such a gifted technical player and with pace around him he can really make United tick. 

"He’s the thinking man’s footballer."