article_snippet: All over the pitch, United players stood out like beacons.
article_snippet: Phil Jones, for starters, was terrific in the centre of defence, keeping Daniel Sturridge under wraps for much of the game; Antonio Valencia personified diligence at right back.
article_snippet: It was in midfield, however, were United stamped their class.
article_snippet: Maroune Fellaini dominated, setting an aggressive tone; Daley Blind was impressively solid while Ander Herrara passed the ball with purpose and precision, most devastatingly when Daley Blind set Juan Mata free for the opening goal.
article_snippet: Juan Mata (left) acrobatically scores United's second goal against Liverpool on Sunday .
article_snippet: Mata (right) slots past Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet to give United the lead in the first half .
article_snippet: Ander Herrera provided a sublime assist for Juan Mata (left)'s opener for United in the 14th minute at Anfield .
article_snippet: Ah, Juan Mata (left).
article_snippet: For large parts of the 15 months Ander Herrera has been at Old Traffford, you have wondered why they spent £37million on Ander Herrera –
article_snippet: then you see how Ander Herrera played here, like when scoring that glorious second, and can understand why Michael Carrick called Mata “Little Magician”.
article_snippet: Ed Woodward, for one, was certainly impressed after Ed Woodward had exchanged passes with Angel Di Maria and capped the move with a bicycle kick that arrowed past Simon Mignolet.
article_snippet: Juan Mata (left), by contrast, was slightly more circumspect.