Mata is a little star when given the chance to shine and Van Gaal needs to realise that.
Yes, his work rate might not be quite the best when off the ball, but with it at his feet there is no denying Mata is world class.
With other teams facing the same amount of fixtures as United do, if not more, their players will tire and someone as tricky as Mata is the perfect foil to get past those defences.