Manchester United's Juan Mata had another game to forget at Old Trafford.
The Manchester derby was a game Manchester United's record signing Juan Mata said he was looking forward to, but it turned out to be an occasion he would surely rather regret.
The Spaniard was criticised by Paul Scholes before the game for failing to score since his big move, and failed to add to his tally on Tuesday night.
Arguably worse however was his complete lack of cutting edge in an encounter where compatriot David Silva ran rings around the Red Devils.
Since arriving at United, Mata has been reasonably bright without being spectacular, although since providing three assists in his first three games - he has none in the following six.
Yet the Manchester derby was the first game since arriving at United where he failed to carve out a single opening:
| Player | Match | Matchday | Team | Pos | Key Passes | Mins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Juan Mata | Man Utd vs Fulham | 25 | Man Utd | MF | 5 | 90 |
| Juan Mata | West Ham vs Man Utd | 31 | Man Utd | MF | 5 | 78 |
| Juan Mata | Man Utd vs Cardiff | 23 | Man Utd | MF | 4 | 85 |
| Juan Mata | Man Utd vs Liverpool | 30 | Man Utd | MF | 3 | 87 |
| Juan Mata | Crystal Palace vs Man Utd | 27 | Man Utd | MF | 3 | 90 |
| Juan Mata | Stoke vs Man Utd | 24 | Man Utd | MF | 3 | 90 |
| Juan Mata | Arsenal vs Man Utd | 26 | Man Utd | MF | 1 | 75 |
| Juan Mata | West Brom vs Man Utd | 29 | Man Utd | MF | 1 | 90 |
| Juan Mata | Man Utd vs Man City | 28 | Man Utd | MF | 0 | 90 |
Fans can only hope the Spaniard has reached rock bottom and will pick up his form, but even if he does, doubts will remain thanks to his failure to shine against Manchester City and previously Liverpool.
City were able to limit his effectiveness, and with former player Paul Scholes lamenting the fact he is being played out of position, questions surround not only the midfielder but manager David Moyes.
The joke about giving Mata to David Moyes being like giving a grandparent a smartphone was again doing the rounds on social media after last night's defeat, but the player too must look at his own faults and try to repair them - starting with the limp performance against City.
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