ONE wonders if Juan Mata thinks he made the right decision to stay at Manchester United for at least another two years in June. The Spaniard, 31, has played only 308 domestic minutes so far this season from a possible 1170, but in the Europa League he’s been a mainstay playing 285 from a possible 360.

He’s only played 90 minutes twice – in both games against Partizan Belgrade including Thursday’s 3-0 win which saw United into the group stages. Mata was busy and effective in the number ten role.

All three strikers around him scored, he took corners, he was vocal throughout, from telling the central defenders to give the ball to Fred or asking for a one-two with Aaron Wan-Bissaka. The players listened – they respect and like him. Mata encouraged the younger forwards around him to move all the time and if one player knows how to use space, it’s Mata.

An LF, a CF and an RF playing as LF, CF and RF.
Juan Mata, an actual number 10, playing as the number 10.

The entire front 3 scores and we're attacking well without a creative midfielder playing as an RW and a running merchant playing as a number 10.

— Man Utd Channel (@ManUtdChannel) November 7, 2019

The Spaniard worked hard to get into space himself in those pockets in front of the defenders and, after, I asked Ole Gunnar Solskjaer about him and his role this season.

“When we spoke to Juan about the contract extension we spoke about how he was not going to play every game but how he was going to be very important in reshaping the culture of the group, of the team,” said the Norwegian. “I said that he would play in his share of games. He’s played in the Premier League and in the cup. Juan is the type of player who needs movement around him and he got that tonight at times. I thought we saw tonight a better Juan in the way we used him.”

Jose Mourinho played Mata more but would regularly bring him off after an hour. He’s a popular player but despite Solskjaer’s words he’s not played much lately. Before the Partizan win he was on the bench for five of United’s last six games and he didn’t come off it in one as he did in the first league three games of the season, though not once for more than nine minutes.

Mata wasn’t brought on to make an impact as Solskjaer once did because he’s not that kind of player. He can bring balance rather than goals, though it’s a year to the week when he scored the winning goal at Juventus away. The Spaniard's last league start was the horrendous 1-0 defeat at Newcastle.

He was as bad as anyone, but he appears to have paid a heavier price. Solskjaer prefers Andreas Pereira in the number 10 role, though Pereira still has much to do to convince both his manager and fans that he has a long-term role in that position. Pereira works hard and follows his manager’s instruction but he doesn’t score or assist enough. None of the players do.

Jesse Lingard can also play in that role and, like Mata, on the right too. But Lingard’s stock has plummeted and fans wouldn’t be too concerned if he left. Lingard’s social media output has damaged him as much as his complete lack of goals or assists.

Juan Mata, clearly past his best, visibly too slow for the premier league yet still by a distance our best number 10. Says it all really.

— Mike (@Mike87_MUFC) November 7, 2019

News that his clothing line had lost £200,000 was almost greeted with glee from fans who wonder who on earth would buy clothes from a non performing footballer, but Lingard was popular and highly regarded once and maybe again. Maybe. With Paul Pogba, a player United fans would like to see play in a more advanced role, injured and Alexis Sanchez departed, Mata has played in the central role he prefers.

But turning United around won’t be based on popularity nor players in their 30s. The decision for 31-year-old Mata to sign a contract to stay at Old Trafford beyond last season wasn’t greeted with celebrations by all United fans. Following a poor end to the season, the mood was rotten when he signed the deal for another two years in June. Fans wanted new blood, not renewals, but I welcomed him staying and could see logic in it.

He’s a Champions League class footballer and maybe he looks on enviably as his former teammates thrive. Chris Smalling is Roma’s best player and turning out every week, Romelu Lukaku can’t stop scoring for Inter, his close friend Ander Herrera is winning as expected at Paris Saint-Germain.

 Mata didn’t expect to play every game. He was kept on a) because he still had something to offer as a footballer b) he’s experienced and that is needed, especially in a young dressing room, and c) he’s one of the soundest humans on the planet. That’s not a given in a side lacking heroes and players fans feel little connection with.

He played well in his first start of the season away at Southampton on August, playing a key part in Dan James’ fine goal as he dragged a defender wide – a classic example of Mata's intelligence compensating for his lack of pace.

United want to win the Europa League as they did in 2017 – a moment Mata lists as the high point of his time at the club. He’s trusted in Europe – at the moment against lower quality teams than United meet in the Premier League, but with the team in three cup competitions and clear favourites to reach the two legged League Cup semi-finals after a quarter final home tie against Colchester, United do need cup ready experienced players like Sergio Romero and now Mata.

With Lingard out of form and Pereira to fully convince – plus those cup games – Mata could easily play more than last season.