Most Manchester United players have to perform something close to a miracle to secure any bit of praise from a Scouser.
Perhaps that cold weather outside is the first sign of hell freezing over because Jamie Carragher found himself fawning over United midfielder Juan Mata during the most recent edition of Monday Night Football.
Four goals from West Brom on Monday evening should have let us know that something strange was going on in the footballing world but, to be fair, Carragher’s applause for Mata was nothing if not justified.
The legendary Liverpool centre-half spent quite some time gushing over the Spaniard, who he claimed is one of the most underrated players in England’s top flight and easily stacks up alongside the likes of Mesut Ozil, Philippe Coutinho and David Silva.
“I think we’re looking at one of the most underrated players in the Premier League,” Carragher said.
“I think the reason he doesn’t get that credit the others get is that he played his first two years here with Chelsea, then [Jose] Mourinho comes in – the ‘best manager in the world’ – and gets rid of him so everyone thinks ‘Mourinho can’t be wrong, so there must be something wrong with Mata’.
“He goes to Manchester United, but he’s not a Manchester United player, he hasn’t got any pace and the fee is well over the odds for him. But what No 10 has got pace?
“I think it’s about time now that we start looking at Mata in these group of players – Kevin De Bruyne, Philippe Coutinho, David Silva, Eden Hazard – as one of the top players in the Premier League, which he is and has been.
“It’s not a flash in the pan. He’s been here five or six years, and he should start getting a lot more credit.”
Mata scored the opener in Manchester United’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal on Saturday and the below stats, generated by Sky Sports, prove that the 28-year-old can never be accused of going hiding in the big games.
Against the so-called ‘Big 6’ opposition in the Premier League, nobody has been as impactful as Mata in terms of goals and assists and Carragher reckons it’s high time that he receives the credit that he’s due.
“He’s played almost as much as anyone against ‘big six’ opposition, only bettered by Silva, so we’re not talking about a run of seven or eight games when he’s had a bit of luck and got a few goals,” Carragher continued.
“People always talk about assists with No 10’s and I don’t care what position you play in, a goal is more important than an assist for me. The minutes for goals and assists is also a massive difference between the others, almost by 15 minutes.
“So he’s getting more goals than those players in those positions. Silva only has more assists and we talk about those players and the influence that they have, but this is where it is important, in those big games.”
