Mata Has Found His "Natural Habitat"

Jose Mourinho believes, in Manchester United, Juan Mata has found a "very good natural habitat" to best display his football skills.

The Reds boss was asked about his time working with Mata at Chelsea and now at United, how the two styles of football compare at each club and importance of the Spanish playmaker within those styles. And in the current Reds side, Mourinho reckons Mata is a perfect fit.

"There are big differences," the manager told reporters at his press conference ahead of Thursday's Europa League clash with Zorya Luhansk, when asked about the comparisons of United's play to Chelsea's.

"In Man United I have no players to play transitional football as the main objective. We are not so physically strong and compact like we [Chelsea] were playing in a defensive block when we won the title in 2014/15.

"We [United] are in the beginning of that process, but the football we want to play here is different and I think it is very adapted to his [Mata's] qualities. We need players with his qualities, so I think he found a very good natural habitat for his football to play with us."

Mourinho continued: "My idea of football with the squad I had at Chelsea and the objectives we had at Chelsea is one thing but the football I want to play at Man United, the profile of my squad and what I want to try to do in this club is a completely different situation. So I think Juan in my project at Chelsea was a good player and in my project at Man United he is a very good player."