Spanish playmaker Juan Mata says he hopes to give Manchester United supporters another reason to stop him in the streets by helping the club to victory over fierce rivals Liverpool at the weekend.
The Red Devils star played a key role in both victories over the Merseyside outfit last season and he scored the crucial second in the corresponding fixture, before netting a brace, including a stunning acrobatic effort, in the meeting at Anfield back in March.
Those goals resulted in rockstar like status for the 27-year-old in the immediate aftermath of the match and he revealed he could not walk the streets of Manchester without being hounded by fans:
“That is a very nice feeling,” the Spain international said [via Mirror Sport].
“People I meet in the street always remember that game and it’s something that will always be there for me.”
“The week after it, every day at the training ground everyone came up to me and congratulated me and you could feel that for all the staff at United and for every supporter around the world, that game was something special.”
Despite only joining United from Premier League rivals Chelsea in the 2014 January transfer window, Mata says he’s well aware of the importance the game against Liverpool is and how much victory means to supporters:
“When we lost my first game against them it was very disappointing and you could feel it in the atmosphere and among the fans.”
“But when we won 3-0 and also won at Anfield, it’s something the people never forget, so it’s always a massive game for us,” Mata added.
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