Mata wants more of same after a ‘complete’ display
JUAN Mata says the “complete performance” against Fulham was just the tonic for a Manchester United side that now need more of the same.
A frustrating start to the season has seen pressure mount on manager Jose Mourinho and his players, with a four-match winless streak leaving them well behind in the race for a top-four Premier League finish.
United could ill afford another poor performance on Saturday and secured a timely victory against rock-bottom Fulham.
Ashley Young, Mata and Romelu Lukaku netted in an impressive first-half display, with Marcus Rashford sealing a 4-1 win after substitute Aboubakar Kamara reduced the deficit from the spot — a blot on an otherwise positive day for Mata.
“It’s not easy,” the attacking midfielder said of the second-half approach.
“Obviously it’s a very good position to be in, but it’s not easy to keep that level of intensity.
“Subconsciously you relax a little bit when you’re three goals ahead.
“They scored so we needed to keep ourselves going and try to score again, which we did.
“It’s always important to be focused for 90 minutes because by doing that we will be a better team.
“This was a very complete performance. It was a shame that we couldn’t keep the clean sheet, but it was a very good performance — a performance that the fans I think have been waiting for and we know that we have to do this more often.”
Mata said the performance and result was “basically what we needed” after a trying period for all connected with United.
“Good start, good goals, creating a lot of chances, making the fans excited about the game, about our performance,” the Spaniard said.
“We know that we are not in the position that we want to be in and should be in, so every game I go onto the pitch — or we go onto the pitch — I think about giving everything for the fans and giving a performance like this, so we must face every game like we did here.”
Mata was one of four changes to the 2-2 midweek draw with Arsenal and made an important contribution, becoming the third Spanish player to score 50 goals and register 50 assists in Premier League history.
“It’s not bad,” he said with a smile. “50 and 50.
“When I came to the Premier League a few years ago I was very excited and very motivated about my period in the Premier League and I am enjoying it so much.
“I am lucky to have been able to score and assist that many goals, but I am still hungry for more: I want more assists, more goals, more enjoyment on the pitch, so hopefully I can do (so).”
Now attention turns to continental matters and a return to Mata’s old stomping ground, with United travelling to former club Valencia knowing progress to the Champions League knockout phase is already assured.
“Another special game,” Mata said. “Valencia was my home for four fantastic years. I have a lot of love for the club, for the city, for the fans.
“We go in a good position also, we’re already qualified so hopefully I can enjoy that night and we can see a very good game.” NEW Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl believes his squad is already buying into his philosophy, despite an opening defeat to relegation rivals Cardiff.
Hasenhuttl spent just two days with his new players before Callum Paterson pounced on a Jannik Vestergaard mistake to again expose Southampton’s defensive deficiencies.
The Saints are now in 19th place and only Fulham’s inferior goal difference separates them from bottom spot in the Premier League.
“I was not disappointed with what my team showed me,” said former RB Leipzig manager Hasenhuttl, who succeeded the sacked Mark Hughes on Thursday. “The mentality was okay and the team is trying to get out of this situation.
“They have to believe in what we’re doing and I saw that they did it for a very long time. We had two days of good training, but it probably wasn’t enough.
“Even though it is a very difficult situation for the whole club, I am not afraid of the challenge of doing better than we did here.”
As well as next Sunday’s home date with Arsenal, Southampton also play champions Manchester City and Chelsea in their next five games.
After being recalled to the Saints’ starting line-up for the first time since the end of October, midfielder Oriol Romeu said: “We now have many days to prepare for the next match, more days to work with this manager and learn from him.
“They (Cardiff) have now made that gap a little bit bigger which is a negative thing for us. But on the other side we have a new manager and we’ve only been working with him for two days.”
Cardiff’s win — their fourth in five home games — was supplied by makeshift striker Paterson’s fourth goal of the season and took them into a season-high position of 14th.
Neil Warnock’s side have won 13 of their 14 points at home, and defender Joe Bennett insists the Bluebirds must improve on their dismal away record to survive.
“We’ve been struggling away from home where it’s obviously difficult to get points,” Bennett said after Cardiff moved four points clear of the bottom three.
“But if we can carry on our home form and nick a few results away from home that could keep us up.”
On Cardiff ’s current position, Bennett added: “It looks good at the moment, but a few bad results and you can find yourselves back down there.”