FA Cup

Juan Mata eager to forget "bad taste" of Chelsea thrashing

By Giuseppe Labellarte, Reporter | 20 February 2017

Juan Mata is looking to rid the "bad taste" of October's Premier League defeat by Chelsea when Manchester United visit Stamford Bridge in the FA Cup.

Juan Mata has claimed that Manchester United are eager to get rid of the "bad taste" left by their 4-0 defeat at Chelsea last October.

The Red Devils overcame Blackburn Rovers 2-1 in their FA Cup fifth-round tie at Ewood Park on Sunday before the quarter-final draw saw them pitted against the Blues at Stamford Bridge.

Jose Mourinho's return to his old club four months ago was an unhappy one as unanswered goals from Pedro, Gary Cahill, Eden Hazard and N'Golo Kante saw United leave London humiliated.

"We were just leaving Ewood Park when we knew through the social networks our rival in the last eight - Chelsea at Stamford Bridge," Mata said on his official website, after discovering their quarter-final opponents would be his old club.

"Needless to say, it's going to be another special game for me. This is without a doubt one of the most complicated ties we could have, but we will go there with the big motivation of earning a ticket to Wembley and forget the bad taste of our last visit to Stamford Bridge."

United are the current FA Cup holders, while Chelsea last lifted the trophy in 2012.