To say there was an element of surprise when Ralf Rangnick included Juan Mata in his starting line-up for Manchester United's 3-0 win over Brentford at Old Trafford back in May is something of an understatement.
The Spaniard had not started a Premier League match for more than 300 days and had been restricted to just under an hour's worth of league football during the 2021/22 campaign. But considering United entered the clash with Brentford on a run of three games without a win, Rangnick had to do something to lift some of the negativity.
The German's decision to include Mata in the starting line-up was something of a masterstroke; the Spaniard was excellent and brought some much-needed smiles to the faces of those watching in the stands, even if United's season had long since fizzled out. The former fans' favourite, deployed in the No.10 position, brought creativity and cohesion to the party, producing an excellent display that scooped him no shortage of plaudits.
