EVERTON v MAN UNITED JUAN ACE, TWO CLUBS
Midfielder proves Jose and doubters wrong TOUGH GUEYE KNOWS THE SCORE
JUAN MATA heads to Goodison Park today claiming he’s still the same player he was under Jose Mourinho at Chelsea.
The impish midfielder has been one of United’s early- season successes – despite being tipped to be first out of Old Trafford when Mourinho took over from Louis van Gaal in the summer.
Mourinho showed the Spaniard the door in his second spell at Stamford Bridge, selling Mata to United for £38million in 2013. He believed the 28- year- old didn’t have the strength or physicality to operate in his Chelsea side.
But with Mata playing an integral role for Mourinho so far, it’s clear the Portuguese coach has performed a u-turn – having played the Spaniard more times than any other United outfield player this season.
It’s a remarkable turnaround for Mata who said: “The teams are different, clubs are different, the squad is different. I just try to play the best I can every single game.
“That is what I tried at Chelsea and that is what I’m trying now. I’m happy in my football and I’m enjoying it.
Respect
“But I don’t see that I’m not doing the same as I did at Chelsea.
“I’m doing the same but sometimes circumstances change.
“Obviously this is a different circumstance than when we were at Chelsea.”
Mata’s influence on United this season has been clear with the midfielder scoring the only goal against Manchester City in the EFL Cup quarter-finals and the recent opener against Arsenal in the 1-1 draw with Arsene Wenger’s stars.
And Sky pundit Jamie Carragher believes Mata has outgunned fellow No.10s like Mesut Ozil, Kevin de Bruyne, Philippe Coutinho and David Silva and deserves more respect.
“With Mata we are looking at one of most underrated players in the Premier League,” said the former Liverpool ace.
“When you think of great No.10s who get between the lines you think of Ozil, De Bruyne, Coutinho, Silva and Eden Hazard – but Mata more than matches up.
“They are top players – but in the big games no one does better than Mata and he doesn’t get the credit the others get.
“He was player of the year in his first two years at Chelsea then Mourinho comes in and gets rid of him.
“Everyone’s saying Mourinho can’t be wrong so there’s obviously something not right with Mata.
“Then he goes to United and people say he’s not a United player, a fee well over the odds and no pace but what No.10 has got pace?
“United spent £ 50million on Anthony Martial but Mata’s done better than him this season so it’s IDRISSA GANA GUEYE will take to the pitch against Manchester United and thank his lucky stars.
For no one at Goodison Park today will appreciate more than him the fragile nature of football – and how it can all be lost in a split-second.
Everton’s Senegal midfielder Gueye is the best of friends with Pape Souare – the Crystal Palace defender fighting to save his time we start looking at Juan Mata as one of the best playayers in the Premier League.””
As Mourinho’s men lookk to pick up much-needed l eague points Mata reckons the team are close to being the United of old.
He said: “We’ve been playing good footballl without the results and nd everyone can see that.” career after a horror car smash on the M4 in September.
Souare was air-lifted to hospital with a broken thigh, fractured jaw and numerous other injuries and now faces a battle to play again.
Gueye said: “We started our football journey together at Lille when I was 19 but we were friends before that back in Senegal. What happened to him shows that a footballer’s life can change very quickly. You have a lot of chances and you have a lot of risks at the same time.”
Gueye, 27, has had to scrap to get to the top – and his phenomenal energy and desire have already made him a fans’ favourite at Everton after his £8million move from Aston Villa.
Gueye played alongside Eden Hazard at Lille and rates him the best player he’s played with – but there’s no chance of him being star-struck. He said: “Of course it’s a thrill to face the big teams like United, who I supported as a boy, but it’s not something that will bother me during the match.
“I’m an Everton player and I’m happy to be that. It’s a big club that suits me well and my goal here is to give the very best I can to this club to help them achieve the highest levels.”