2) Juan Mata (Chelsea and Manchester United)
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When Juan Mata arrived in the Premier League, little did fans know how much of an impact he would have at Chelsea. Standing barely 5’7” tall, the diminutive Spaniard ran the show for the Blues in midfield under various managers.
Mata’s dead ball delivery was ideal for sides looking to score from set-pieces. He could easily find a teammate in the box and the bigger players benefited from his set pieces. However, there were times when took matters into his own hands,
Before his famous move to Manchester United, he battled with compatriot David De Gea on a regular basis when Chelsea met Manchester United. So much so that he seemed to have met his match on free-kicks. One of De Gea’s most famous saves came against Chelsea when a Mata free-kick seemed destined for the top corner only to be palmed away as the entire crowd gasped collectively.
But Mata would soon have his revenge in the following season, curling the ball around the wall and beating an unsighted De Gea to score. Mata would later seal a £37.1m move to Old Trafford.
