As Juan Mata prepares for a return to Stamford Bridge and a reunion with his old Chelsea teammates for the first time since his departure over a year ago, he could become the latest in a long list of players to exact revenge on their former clubs.
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Should the Spaniard score it will be interesting to see if he celebrates against the team with whom he won the Champions League, Europa League,and FA Cup during his two-and-a-half seasons in West London.
After all, it was Blues manager Jose Mourinho who sanctioned the deal to sell the playmaker to United, so he could have no complaints should Mata come backs to wreck his side’s title hopes.
Take a look at five other players who have returned to haunt their old clubs.
5) Danny Welbeck – against Manchester United for Arsenal (March, 2015)
When new Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal offloaded Danny Welbeck and replaced him with a proven goalscorer in Radamel Falcao, it appeared to be a great piece of business from the Dutchman.
Van Gaal said that he sold the England man because he “doesn’t score enough goals” (via BBC), and while that remains true, one of his eight goals for the Gunners this season came at Old Trafford as he scored the winner to knock his boyhood club out of the FA Cup – thus denying them a chance of silverware.
4) Emmanuel Adebayor – against Arsenal for Manchester City (September, 2009)
It is fair to say that Adebayor’s relationship with the Arsenal supporters has never been the same since the fallout from his transfer to Manchester City in 2009.
When the two sides met a few months later in the league, the Togolese striker would run the full length of the pitch to celebrate his goal right in front of the Gunners away section, in an attempt to silence the fans that had been giving him abuse all game.
And to make matters worse he now plays for North London rivals Tottenham.
3) Cristiano Ronaldo – against Manchester United for Real Madrid (February, 2013)
The Portuguese superstar has played against United twice since his departure in 2009, and scored on both occasions for Real Madrid.
But his goal in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16 tie at Old Trafford would surely have hurt the home fans deeply.
The goal eliminated the Red Devils from the competition and denied Sir Alex Ferguson one last chance of winning another European trophy.
2) David Luiz – against Chelsea for Paris Saint-Germain (March, 2015)
The Blues can’t say they haven’t been warned when it comes to former players scoring against them, and this was the second time it happened this season.
David Luiz was shipped out to the French capital with Paris Saint-Germain last summer, in a deal believed to be worth £40m (via BBC).
On paper it looked like brilliant business once again by Mourinho and Chelsea, but the Brazilian would have the last laugh on his first return to the Bridge.
1) Frank Lampard – against Chelsea for Manchester City (September, 2014)
Frank Lampard scoring against Chelsea is probably one sentence nobody ever expected to hear, but last September the unthinkable happened as their all-time leading goalscorer denied them victory.
The Blues were leading one-nil against ten-man City at the Etihad, until Lampard, on as a substitute, scored what looked to be a vital equaliser at the time for the home side.