Former Manchester United star Gordon Hill has said that the Red Devils will not get to see the real Juan Mata unless David Moyes stops playing him as a wide man, adding the Spaniard has looked “lost” at times, according to talkSPORT.


Despite costing £37.1million in the January transfer window, Mata hasn’t yet managed to set Old Trafford alight, and failed to impress once more during the drab 0-0 draw with Arsenal last night.

The Spaniard makes up one part of a lethal three-pronged attack on paper, with himself, Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie providing United with an envious amount of firepower.

However Hill believes that fans of reigning Premier League champions won’t get to see their star addition performing to his full capabilities unless Moyes moves him into a more central role.

“I can’t understand why Juan Mata is playing on the left wing,” said the former United star.

"This little guy is playmaker all over the place. In the game, he got lost, he was roaming, not picking up players and getting caught with it.

"I fear he is going to go into one of the positions where is not going to put anything into the game. He is going to be out there and not contributing anything to the game.

"Mata at Chelsea was a busy little player who could create. He’s like a square peg in a round hole at the moment.”

Hill, who played for United for three years between 1975 and 1978 then went as far as to add that Mata could be having serious problems with the job he’s been tasked with by Moyes.

"He is a pest, he can create, he is great at delivering those little balls. He looks out of place. I think he is having an identity crisis with his position."