Jamie Redknapp has praised Chelsea's Juan Mata for playing football "with joy in his heart".

The Spaniard has attracted plenty of praise this season for his performances for the Blues and Redknapp has added to the playmaker's list of admirers following his winning goal in their 1-0 win over Manchester United on Sunday.

"The game was there for the taking and Chelsea took it. A big three points, a win and a clean sheet at Old Trafford for [Chelsea boss] Rafael Benitez," Redknapp wrote in his Daily Mail column.

"The man who deserves it the most scored their goal — Juan Mata . He's played 60 games, and plays beautifully with joy in his heart."

The win took Chelsea to third in the Premier League.