Giggs right man for United, insists ‘happy’ Mata
Giggs’ reign as interim United manager got off to the best start possible on Saturday as the Red Devils strolled to a 4-0 win over Norwich at Old Trafford.
After a slightly cumbersome first half, United sprang into life after the break, playing with width, pace and flair – just as Giggs had demanded.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdGiggs may not be under consideration for the post on a full-time basis, but many of the 75,208 fans who were inside Old Trafford wish he was.
Mata is also a big fan of Giggs, even though he was dropped to the bench by the Welshman for Saturday’s game. “If we speak about Ryan we speak about a Manchester United person,” said Mata, who scored twice following his introduction on the hour. “He was very successful here as a player and now he is leading the team. We are all happy because who is better to do it?”
Giggs said prior to kick-off that he wanted to “restore the positivity” around the club following an extremely disappointing campaign under David Moyes.
The 40-year-old certainly did that. The greeting Giggs received from the fans as he strode down the touchline in his club suit was real Roy of the Rovers stuff.
There was little mention of Moyes at Old Trafford. The “Chosen One” banner had gone and Giggs did his best to make a clean break from the Scot’s reign.
Giggs made six changes to the team that lost 2-0 to Everton in Moyes’ final game in charge while Marouane Fellaini – the Scot’s £27.5million signing – was not even on the bench.
Mata, another of Moyes’ signings, was happy to end a tumultuous few days for the club on a high. “It has been a difficult week for us,” the Spaniard told MUTV. “A change of manager is never good news because it means that you are not doing the things right, but today it was very important to win and give the fans what they deserve.”
Moyes made no mention of the United playing squad in his midweek statement, but Mata, for one, was sad to see the 51-year-old go.