Football
Rob Dawson, Correspondent 6y

Man United competition 'makes you better' as a player - Juan Mata

MANCHESTER, England -- Juan Mata says he is happy at Manchester United and willing to fight for his place in the first team.

Mata will be part of the United squad that travels to Anfield to face Liverpool on Saturday. He is competing for a place in Jose Mourinho's forward line with Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Jesse Lingard but, after spells at Valencia, Chelsea and with the Spain national team, and says he is used to it.

"I think we have all different qualities, so it depends on the game, the manager can chose from one or the way, depends how he feels," he said. "I just think overall competition makes you better, it happened in the international team, at Valencia, Chelsea and now here for me.

"When your teammate is playing better than you, you need to step up and play better otherwise he rightly will play. Competition makes you better. It is just down to the manager to decide which one he uses."

The Spaniard signed a four-and-a-half year deal when he arrived from Chelsea in January 2014 with the option of an additional year. 

United are set to trigger the extension that would keep Mata at Old Trafford until at least 2019, and the 29-year-old is not looking to go anywhere.

"I am happy here, I'm happy in Manchester," he said. "I've been here almost four years, and I love the people here.

"The city is very nice, and has a lot of things to do. My dad opened a Spanish restaurant I am settled in Manchester. I am happy here. So as long as this moment continues I am happy to stay here."

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