Man Utd latest transfer news: Chelsea's Mata the new Scholes?

Chelsea did not even really have to play to beat Manchester United. They were handed the match on a plate by a terrible defensive display.

So for the first time, as United’s much-maligned midfield sizzled and as they cracked open Chelsea’s much-vaunted defence, their strikers let them down and their defence capitulated taking any gloss off their performance.

Had Ashley Young score with the first chance of the match, or Danny Welbeck found the target (much like Samuel Eto’o) from six yards out – Chelsea would have had to come out and play.

And that would have probably played into David Moyes’ gameplan.

So while his midfield begins to settle with Phil Jones, Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher now looking like a settled trio of options, with either Shinji Kagawa or Adnan Januzaj in the hole behind Welbeck, it is ironic that Moyes’ big name signing may actually come from Chelsea.

Mr Unwanted at Stamford Bridge, Juan Mata, has been made available if reports in the Daily Mail are to be believed.

He has been priced in the region of 40 million pounds - and at that pirce that would be a desperation buy.

However, if Old Trafford needs a creative spark Mata could well be the one to provide it.

No amount of creativity can paper over a weak defence and if Nemanja Vidic needed any prodding towards the door, he provided it himself with a combustible performance against Chelsea – responsible for one goal and a red card.

Despite United’s extensive search in Europe, Juan Mata, closer to home might be the midfield buy, but David Moyes might still need to look at shoring up his defence.

And the Glazers need to get ready to spend.

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