Football
ESPN staff 9y

Juan Mata praises David De Gea century, Paddy McNair debut

Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata has hailed his Spanish teammate David De Gea for reaching a century of Premier League appearances while also lauding debutant Paddy McNair following the club's 2-1 victory over West Ham on Saturday.

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Mata, 26, has found himself on the bench for Manchester United's last two league matches and has admitted that life under Louis van Gaal has been tougher for the team than expected.

The Red Devils earned just their second league win of the season as goals from Wayne Rooney and Robin Van Persie gave them a hard-fought win over the Hammers and Mata hopes that the team can now gather some momentum in a bid to keep pace with his former club Chelsea.

"The team was ready to work hard and keep going in order to overcome our tough start," he wrote in his weekly blog on his website. "That sacrifice was shown against West Ham and the three points make us look at the table in a different way now.

"Our goal now is to become more consistent and to keep working on our football style to add more points. The more we enjoy on the pitch, the more we will make you enjoy our games.

"The team aims to keep growing throughout the entire season and we are sticking together to achieve that."

Mata reserved special mention for De Gea, who reached a personal milestone in the Premier League, while also praising 19-year-old Northern Irish defender McNair who coped well with the pressure on his first-team bow.

"It was a special day for David De Gea, who has reached 100 Premier League games. He is one of the most skilled goalkeepers I've ever seen so I know you will play many more than 100, my friend," Mata added.

"It was also unforgettable for Paddy McNair. Making a debut with Manchester United at Old Trafford being just 19 is amazing, and I am sure he will always remember this day."

Manchester United have been criticised for the exits of several homegrown talents such as Danny Welbeck and Tom Cleverley but Mata insists that the club is still committed to giving young professionals a chance despite over 150 million pounds being spent on established players in the summer.

"It's good for the young players to see that they can fit in the first team. It has always happened in this club and it's a good tradition to keep. In my opinion, Paddy has a bright future ahead."

Manchester United face another difficult test at home to Everton next weekend and Mata is confident that the team can earn successive wins for the first time under van Gaal.

"Last season we couldn't win, but I believe it will be different this time and we will be able to get the three points in our stadium," he concluded.

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