Manchester United playmaker Juan Mata on Saturday gave his seal of approval to the new tactical system introduced by incoming manager Louis van Gaal.
Having set United out in a 3-4-1-2 formation for their opening pre-season friendly against Los Angeles Galaxy on Wednesday, with Mata playing in support of the two strikers, Van Gaal saw his new charges stroll to a 7-0 win.
The 62-year-old coach used a similar formation with the Netherlands at the World Cup, where he guided his country to a third-place finish, and Mata believes it could bring out the best in him.
“If I play behind the two strikers it’s a good position,” the Spain international told BBC Sport.
“I can look for the ball, I can try to assist or score, so I will try my best. I will try to score as much as I can and try to help the team from that position.
“If I have to play on the wing I will try my best as well, but I feel comfortable in this role.”
Only a handful of sides deployed a three-man defence in the Premier League last season, and Mata feels it could give United an edge.
“It can be very dangerous for the opponent,” he said. “It is difficult for them to play against us in this formation.”
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