Video: Juan Mata shows long ball technique in a tutorial

Juan Mata has been in decent form for Manchester United this season

Manchester United playmaker Juan Mata’s skills seem to have no limits. The Spaniard has given yet another masterclass tutorial on his YouTube channel where he looks at how to execute the perfect long pass.

Footballers can play at the highest level as long as they put the time and effort into their training. Midfielding maestros like Xabi Alonso, Xavi Hernandez, Andrea Pirlo, Toni Kroos and many other players can hit class balls to their teammate.

The former Chelsea midfielder is certainly someone well placed to hand out advice with his technical expertise. In the video clip, Mata teaches us how to perfect a long-distance cross field passing technique. He fires a succession of balls into a coned area with his gifted left foot before he repeats the trick with a moving ball and a player receiving the pass at the other end.

It’s a skill he and his teammates in the United squad have had to perfect over the last couple of seasons. Belgium’s Marouane Fellaini in particular, has used this to his advantage and he’ll be glad to know Mata have been putting a bit of extra practice with his deliveries.

Despite the lack of goals, the Spain international has been in decent form this season and in this video clip he displays his skills to unlock any defence he is faced with and perhaps next week, the former Valencia talisman can do a masterclass with his right foot.

Mata didn’t apply these skills on the pitch against West Brom but he didn’t really need to as his side emerged 2-0 victors over Tony Pulis’ side as Mata scored from the spot late on to seal 3 points for Louis van Gaal’s men.