<text>  You dont restrict an artist. Hes there to create, to entertain, to slap his imagination on a blank canvas and leave the world wondering how the hell he did it. Louis van Gaal used Juan Mata as a false right winger at Anfield six days ago, and threw off the shackles that were once strapped to his ankles by David Moyes and Jose Mourinho. The two-time Chelsea Player of the Year showed good things come to those who wait, as Liverpools 3-4-3 formation that snookered teams from January onward was lost on Manchester United. Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata scores the second of his double to seal an important win at Anfield . Matas perfect technique for his scissor-kick was brilliant as he scored one of the goals of the season . Liverpool could do little to stop Matas incredible scissor-kick giving them a 2-0 lead at Anfield . Mata runs away in celebration with United team-mates Marouane Fellaini right and Wayne Rooney left It was, if nothing else, unexpected. Mata had gone unused, having played just 15 minutes across four Premier League games in February, and it was reminiscent of his bit-part role at Chelsea. Mourinho considered Oscar a better fit as his No 10, believing Matas defensive cover left a lot to be desired. He is not a tackler, nor is he the physical type. You dont buy a Jack Russell Terrier then expect it to behave like an American Pit Bull. Mata is a different breed. What he is, is an architect. Since the start of the 2011-12 Barclays Premier League season, he has more goals and assists in total 65 than any other midfielder. Close behind is Manchester Citys David Silva 63 and Yaya Toure 61, then Chelseas Eden Hazard and Liverpools Steven Gerrard both 58. Yet his defensive discipline or lack thereof is what Mourinho considered his Achilles heel. Its true the midfielder averages the fewest tackles 0.64, clearances 0.16 and duels won 14.29 per cent per game when he, Silva, Toure, Hazard and Gerrard are compared, but thats not his job. Mata left Chelsea for United in a 37m switch but manager David Moyes never got his moneys worth . Matas prayers have been answered at United as he looks to get a regular run out by Louis van Gaal . Only Silva 365 beats him in chances created out of the entire Premier League since the beginning of 2011-12, but Mata 291 has played 466 fewer minutes. Hes the creative kind, but would most likely still be warming the substitutes bench at Stamford Bridge had he not swapped south for north. It was Moyes that bought Mata from Chelsea, phoning him personally to explain what he wanted. Fluidity, assists and goals were the demands, and Mata agreed. Two days later, he arrived at Carrington by helicopter, no less and it was confirmed. Chelsea made a tidy 13.5m from the Mata move. Shrewd as ever, as they were with David Luiz 31.6m profit, Andre Schurrle 4m, Kevin De Bruyne 11m, Romelu Lukaku 18m and Thorgan Hazard 5.5m, among others. Moyes, however, never got his moneys worth. Mata celebrates his goal with team-mate Daley Blind at Anfield on Sunday during their win . Mata has more goals and assists in total 65 than any other midfielder in the Premier League since 2011 . It was when he left Manchester with the club in seventh that the inquest began. He hadnt kept Sir Alex Fergusons backroom staff. He failed to replace Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand, Ryan Giggs and Patrice Evra. His style of football was cautious, slow and predictable compared to his predecessors attacking outlook. Another supposed error was wasting 64m on Marouane Fellaini and Mata. Yet the new man at Manchester United is getting what Moyes couldnt out of both. Against Liverpool, Fellaini and Mata covered the most distance 11.6km each out of everyone. Mata had more touches 93 than anyone else, made 73 passes with 91.8 per cent accuracy, and made Hazard proud by drawing more fouls than any other player 3. For a player without a shot on target in the Premier League since December 20, he scored two goals worthy of settling the great rivalry. Alberto Moreno, lugging five yards behind for Matas first and not tracking him for the second, was tormented by the man that goes by Johnny Kills a suitable nickname handed to him by former Chelsea team-mate Daniel Sturridge because it is a literal translation of his name. Juan Matas heat map from Manchester Uniteds 2-1 win at Liverpool last weekend . Alberto Moreno was tormented by Mata at Anfield but the challenge is for him to make it consistent . Mata runs with the ball during the tense match between the two great rivals of the Premier League . Uniteds average positions vs Liverpool left with Mata No 8 drifting inside... and his total passes right Matas heat map vs Tottenham Hotspur on March 15 in Uniteds 3-0 win at Old Trafford saw him drift inside . Jan 1 vs Stoke - 90 minutes . Jan 11 vs Southampton - 90 . Jan 17 vs QPR - 45 . Jan 31 vs Leicester - 13 . Feb 8 vs West Ham - 0 . Feb 11 vs Burnley - 0 . Feb 21 vs Swansea - 11 . Feb 28 vs Sunderland - 4 . March 4 vs Newcastle - 8 . March 15 vs Tottenham - 77 . March 22 vs Liverpool - 90 . Against Liverpool, right-back Antonio Valencia was used as cover, sprinting up the wing to allow Mata to abandon his post. Those two exchanged more passes 55 than anyone else on Sunday, and worked in tandem. Their average positions show Mata No 8 stayed close to Ander Herrera No 21, who was equally devastating at Anfield, while Valencia No 25 pushed up, just short of the half-way line. Mata played a similar role against Tottenham Hotspur the week before, as his almost identical heat maps above demonstrate. But he is not out of the woods yet. Mata is flirting with a first-team place, having replaced an out-of-sorts Angel di Maria, but the trick is to stay there. He has been crying out for this, ever since he was phased out at Chelsea, and even more so now he has been dropped by Spain. Mata has played 3,724 minutes and made 44 starts in the past two seasons. Restricted, to say the least, when compared to former Chelsea team-mate Hazard, who has 5,461 minutes and 61 starts. Its easier said than done to become a must-pick 37m doesnt buy you that luxury these days. Can it happen at Manchester United? If Mata can rip teams to shreds as he did against Liverpool, then how can it not? Trouble is, Louis van Gaal like Jose Mourinho is a hard man to please. Mata has played 3,724 minutes with 44 starts over the last two seasons - far less than his counterparts . Mata ripped Liverpool apart on Sunday as they ended their unbeaten run in the Premier League in 2015 . 