Chelsea’s victory over Manchester United at the weekend may have persuaded Jose Mourinho to alter his stance on Juan Mata.
With United out of the title race and, having completed their league fixtures against Chelsea, no longer a direct threat, it actually makes sense to send the Spaniard to Old Trafford rather than, say, Atletico Madrid on loan.
For if, in Manchester, he performs with the brilliance often displayed at the Bridge — before Mourinho arrived and chose Oscar as his No10 — he could help United to take points off Chelsea’s serious rivals.
David Moyes’s team face Arsenal at the Emirates in three weeks. At the beginning of March, they take on Manchester City at Old Trafford, where Liverpool are due for another highly charged encounter two weeks after that. Mata could give United the creative spark they need to have a better chance of taking points from these matches.
In a highly competitive season, Chelsea and Mourinho will want any advantage they can get in a race against Arsenal, City and Liverpool.
You may think this a little Machiavellian, even for Mourinho, but he has made no secret of his pleasure at the thought of Romelu Lukaku, on loan at Everton and thus barred from their matches against Chelsea, damaging others. It’s the same sly principle.
Mata, because he has played for Chelsea in this season’s Champions League, would be unable to strengthen United in that Mourinho theatre and they are no threat to his FA Cup aspirations, having been knocked out by Swansea.
There are other reasons to believe Mata might go. Mourinho dislikes distractions around the training ground, for one. And a bit of United’s money would be handy in persuading Southampton to sell Luke Shaw, whom Moyes must also covet. Booking the teenage left-back, even if he stays on the south coast until summer, would be another smart move.
Juan Mata's greatest Chelsea moments
