Juan: There’s nothing the Mata with Lukaku
Juan Mata has no concerns that Romelu Lukaku will wilt under the dual pressure of a six-game goal drought along with a highscrutiny return to his old club, Chelsea.
The Belgian striker hit the ground running with 11 goals from his first 16 outings for Manchester United following his £75m move from Everton in the summer.
However, he hasn’t scored since the last international break. Manager Jose Mourinho has been forced to defend him from criticism and stress his value to the side by labelling him “untouchable”.
Mata, who also played with the teenage Lukaku at Chelsea, believes he has the temperament to play himself out of his minifamine and cope with the flak he’s bound to get at Stamford Bridge this afternoon.
“I have no worries about Rom,” says Mata. “He’s a very good guy and we’re very happy with him even if he doesn’t score.
“Obviously he wants to score because he’s a striker. But I don’t see him as the kind of player who will be angry if the team wins and he doesn’t score, like some strikers are.
“Strikers have these difficult moments. It’s also happened with Alvaro Morata, who was scoring a lot and now he’s not.
“In Rom, I see someone very strong and I know it will not affect him. Even when he’s not been scoring, he has been creating a lot.
“He’s been playing at the top level since he was very young. When we were at Chelsea together, he was only 18 or 19, and had already been scoring goals in Belgium.
“He’s a positive and an energetic character and that helps him.”
Mata, Lukaku and Nemanja Matic form an ex-Chelsea triumvirate which, with the obvious addition of manager Mourinho, makes today’s already crucial game even spicier.
Both clubs trail in the wake of Manchester City, and neither can afford to lose more ground.
“It will be no problem for Rom and Nemanja to go back to Stamford Bridge,” says Mata. “They will manage just fine.
“It will always be a special game for me, because I had so many good times there. But once you’re on the pitch, you forget about that and focus.”
Chelsea are stinging from a chastening midweek Champions League defeat in Rome, while United are eager to keep their own recovery on track following their embarrassment at Huddersfield, when Mourinho let rip about the players’ attitudes.
“The last few results have been just what we needed,” says Mata. “We needed to be competing like we’ve been since the start of the season.
“I have seen it a few times when the manager has been very angry, and Huddersfield was one of those days. He just hates to lose.
“But we as players were angry about our performance, too. When you lose like that you need to show you are a team. You have to stick together even more.
“We have done that over the last 10 days and will arrive at Chelsea with our minds on keeping that going.
“It will be difficult because Chelsea are a tough side to play.
“They had a bad result in Europe but the only way that will affect the game is that they will come out with more intensity, and an even stronger will to win.
“We lost 4-0 there last season, but this is a totally different game. There are so many new players and we’re in a different position in the table.
“We will go there with more confidence because of the way we are competing and getting results. We have a clear mind, we don’t want the same kind of game as last time and we’re going there to win.”
Mata has won the two domestic cups plus the Europa League since his move to United, to go with the Champions League, Europa League and FA Cup he won at Chelsea.
But despite playing for two of the Premier League’s most-dominant clubs, that title has eluded him.
“I would love to win the Premier League,” he says. “Not just for me, but for the fans. Just imagining them celebrating winning the Premier League gives me goosebumps.
“I’d prefer if City weren’t in the position they’re in, but you must think only about your own games.
“If you care too much about what others do, and don’t do your own job, it won’t matter if they lose.”