Juan Mata: Why Manchester United need experience in the squad

Perhaps the only consistent feature of Manchester United’s volatile season has been an emphasis on youth.

According to data from Transfermarkt, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side had the youngest starting XI throughout the Premier League with an average age of just 24.8.

The rise of Mason Greenwood and Brandon Williams along with the development of Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Scott McTominay has been one of the highlights of United’s season.

How strange, then, that it was 32-year-old Juan Mata who United turned to when they needed a final spark of inspiration to break down Copenhagen.

United had a good second half against the Danish league runners-up, limiting them to no shots on target, and yet had been unable to provide the final finish despite creating several chances.

A Greenwood effort hit the post early on and a powerful effort from Bruno Fernandes suffered the same fate. Further efforts were denied by Copenhagen’s goalkeeper, Karl-Johan Johnsson, who made a record number of saves.

It was only with the introduction of Mata at the start of extra time that United were finally able to breach Copenhagen’s defences.

Within a few minutes of the game’s resumption, Mata carried the ball forward and slipped Martial in behind the Danish defence, yet he was denied by Johnsson once again.

Yet when the ball was cleared, it went only as far as Rashford who quickly moved it onto to Mata, now in space in the box.

With one fluid motion, the Spaniard turned and passed to Martial who had just recovered from his failed to get back on his feet.

But no sooner than he had got up would Martial go down again. A clumsy challenge from Andreas Bjelland saw Martial fall, and United earn a penalty which Fernandes converted with predictable comfort and ease to ensure United’s place in a Europa League semi-final.

It was a crucial moment in Mata’s United career and proved that he still has much to offer this young team.

After the match, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer explained how Mata is “so composed, calm, clever, has quick feet in tight areas… he can pick a pass; he can calm us down at times”.

Mata’s crowning glory in a United shirt is undeniably the game at Anfield, or ‘Juanfield’ as it was dubbed afterwards, where his sensational brace earned United a 2-1 victory over Liverpool in 2015. His equaliser in the FA cup final against Crystal Palace in 2016 is also a key highlight.

But despite this, Mata has not always enjoyed success at Old Trafford. His game time was often limited, under both Jose Mourinho and Louis Van Gaal, and he was consistently used as a false winger rather than in his preferred role as a number ten.

Indeed, this is a theme that runs throughout his career. Both out of necessity and due to the quality of the players around him, Mata was increasingly forced out wide as his career progressed in his search for game time and was frequently utilised off the bench.

Now, at 32 years old and in the twilight his career, Mata has not been able to consistently produce the level of performances needed to earn frequent appearances in the Premier League.

However, he has appeared in a considerable number of Manchester United’s cup games and is the leading assist maker outright in the Europa League.

True, his performances have not been consistently good enough but he has provided a level of experience and subtle creativity that United’s young side often lacks.

It was not just in Cologne against Copenhagen, but against Wolves in the FA Cup third-round replay it was Mata, rather than Martial, Rashford or Greenwood, who had the composure and experience to lift the ball over John Ruddy and send United through.

Just as Matic does in the midfield and defence, Mata offers a cool and composed head in difficult, tight games. In this one-game Europa League format, such an option is an invaluable tool to Solskjaer.

It’s unlikely he will start, but if the semi-final should be tied late on into the game, Solskjaer will surely look to the experience of Mata as his final attempt to reach his first final as a United manager.

Some rumours indicate that Mata may well leave this summer, a season earlier than when his contract finishes, with Fernabache being a likely destination.

However, Solskjaer also has good reason to keep him around, both for his contribution on the field and for his role in the dressing room.

Solskjaer told the post-match press conference on Monday how Mata is “such a great influence with the culture and dressing room”

“I can just commend him for his professionalism. He’s disappointed he’s not played more but he’s one of the top assist makers in the Europa League and has really done well for us.”

It is vital that United have players with experience who, even if they’re not starting on the pitch, can advise and mentor the young players in the dressing room as they develop.

The Class of ’92, and every other successful young side in football history, did not break through into the first team in a vacuum.

Instead, they came into a side which consisted of Eric Cantona, Steve Bruce, Denis Irwin and more; players who knew what it took to play consistently at the top level and could impose those values on the young players.

Crucially, United need players who know how to win. Solskjaer has talked at length about how important it is for the side to win a trophy this season to take them on to the next step of their journey and Mata is a player who has been there and won almost everything.

Whilst the Premier League has alluded him, Mata is a World and European champion with Spain as well as a Champions League winner, two-time Europa League winner, two-time FA cup winner, a League cup winner and a Copa del Rey winner.

Winning the Europa League would be another step on the road for this young Manchester United side. It’s unclear whether they will be ready to challenge for a major trophy next season but certainly the season after United will look to challenge for the Premier League.

Yet winning a trophy such as the Europa League feels as if it’s an essential precursor to a major challenge, instilling a winning mentality in the young side. Both on and off the pitch, Mata’s experience will be vital in helping to foster that.