These sensational stats prove Mata is key to Mourinho’s success or failure!!
Oct 25, 2016 at 2:32 PM
Jose Mourinho returned to Stamford Bridge on Sunday to watch his Manchester United side get humiliated by Chelsea.
It was a game that surely went beyond Mourinho’s worst case scenario as United shipped four goals as Conte’s men ran riot on the counter.
The former Chelsea manager went for a similar approach to the game that United had drawn 0-0 at Anfield just 6 days before, deploying Fellaini and Herrera in centre mid and Pogba in a more advanced role behind Ibrahimovic.
However, after United conceded in the opening 30 seconds, it was a line-up that was destined to fail as Mourinho’s selection was not equipped to chase the game. The ‘Special One’ attempted to reshape things at half time bringing on Juan Mata for Marouane Fellaini but it was too little too late and United’s embarrassment continued in the second half.
In the aftermath of the loss however, one extraordinary stat has come to light suggesting that one man can determine Mourinho’s success or failure moving forward.
Points won in the Premier League by Man Utd this season:
When Juan Mata starts = 13 out of 15
When Juan Mata doesn’t start = 1 out of 12 pic.twitter.com/8B0jfS2jEu
— Kevin Blundell (@kevin_blundell) October 23, 2016
United have played nine games in the Premier League so far this season with Juan Mata starting on five occasions. Of the four games he has been left out of the starting XI, Mourinho’s men have picked up a measly one point, losing on three occasions and drawing once. When Mata has started, United have won four and drawn just one, dropping just two points out of an available 15.