carrying mostly romantic hopes on her shoulders rather than anyt

Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata is underrated and deserves more credit as a No 10, says Jamie Carragher. The Spain international got on the scoresheet against Arsenal on Saturday and caused plenty of problems for the Gunners. Sky Sports Black Friday sale Upgrade to Sky Sports now and get 12 months half price! But former Liverpool defender Carragher believes Mata is one of the most underappreciated players in the league, and should be considered among the best in his position. I think were looking at one of the most underrated players in the Premier League, the Sky Sports pundit said on Monday Night Football.I think the reason he doesnt get that credit the others get is that he played his first two years here with Chelsea, then [Jose] Mourinho comes in - the best manager in the world - and gets rid of him so everyone thinks Mourinho cant be wrong, so there must be something wrong with Mata. Man Utd 1-1 Arsenal He goes to Manchester United, but hes not a Manchester United player, he hasnt got any pace and the fee is well over the odds for him. But what No 10 has got pace?I think its about time now that we start looking at Mata in these group of players - Kevin De Bruyne, Philippe Coutinho, David Silva, Eden Hazard - as one of the top players in the Premier League, which he is and has been. How unlucky are Man Utd? Jose Mourinho insists Man Utd are the Premier Leagues unluckiest team, but what do the stats say? Its not a flash in the pan. Hes been here five or six years, and he should start getting a lot more credit.When analysing appearances against the big six among his peers, Mata ranks top for minutes per goal and assists as well as having the highest goal and second-highest assist tally of the seven players included. Juan Matas stats compared to other No 10s in big six games Hes played almost as much as anyone against big six opposition, only bettered by Silva, so were not talking about a run of seven or eight games when hes had a bit of luck and got a few goals.People always talk about assists with No 10s and I dont care what position you play in, a goal is more important than an assist for me. The minutes for goals and assists is also a massive difference between the others, almost by 15 minutes. Mata says it is extremely frustrating to have conceded a late goal in Uniteds 1-1 draw with Arsenal So hes getting more goals than those players in those positions. Silva only has more assists and we talk about those players and the influence that they have, but this is where it is important, in those big games.Upgrade to Sky Sports now and get 12 months half price. Hurry, offer ends December 4! Also See: Mata focusing on positives How unlucky are Man Utd? Premier League grades Ref Watch: Valencia call correct Matt Shoemaker Blue Jays Jersey . Francis told several hundred members of the European Olympic Committees that when sport "is considered only in economic terms and consequently for victory at every cost . Cavan Biggio Blue Jays Jersey . But Bourque, who has missed three games with a lower-body injury, wont be in the lineup when the Habs travel to Buffalo to take on the Sabres on Wednesday. https://www.cheapbluejays.com/526h-george-bell-jersey-blue-jays.html . There are surprises among the Vezina candidates, but most of the others are standard top-tier performers, even if the two Hart Trophy runners-ups have never been quite as good as they have been through the first half of the season. R.A. Dickey Jersey . Each of Houstons starters scored in double figures as the Rockets improved to 2-0 against the Spurs this season, with both victories coming on the road. They also moved within 3 1/2 games of San Antonio (22-7) for the lead the Southwest Division. Frank Thomas Blue Jays Jersey .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. LONDON -- With both Serena and Venus Williams through to the last four at the All England Club, the sisters could end up playing each other in a Grand Slam final for the first time since the 2009 edition of The Championships.Tennis fans shouldnt be getting ahead of themselves. With Serena to play Russias Elena Vesnina and Venus to meet Germanys Angelique Kerber in Thursdays semifinals, here are five reasons why that hoped-for all-Williams title match might not materialise:Serenas self-doubtFor Serena, every match is a fight against herself -- she has to overcome that emotion as well as her opponent, her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, observed recently.Winning Wimbledon again would put Serena level with Steffi Grafs modern-era record of 22 Grand Slam titles, and the closer she gets to history, the more likely she is to experience nerves or self-doubt on the grass.I cant expect Serena not to be human. Serenas emotions show that she cares. She feels something, and she has to fight through those emotions and find solutions on the court, Mouratoglou said.Serena, whose 21st major came at Wimbledon last year, has faltered at her past three Grand Slams -- in the semifinals of last seasons US Open, and in this years Australian Open and Roland Garros finals. Have those defeats left little rips and tears in Serenas on-court psyche?Kerbers confidenceThis is the first time that Kerber has played this tournament as a Grand Slam champion, after her triumph at Januarys Australian Open, and she has never been as self-assured on grass as she is now.That Melbourne victory made her the first German woman to score a major singles title since Graf at Roland Garros in 1999, and she is the only one of the semifinalists yet to drop a set this tournament. No wonder Kerber has been saying, I have a lot of confidence.She already has defeated one Williams sister at a Grand Slam this season too -- with that Australian success coming against Serena -- so why cant she also beat the other one here in the last four? I know how to play on grass, said Kerber, who is in her second Wimbledon semifinal.Major memories fadeCan Venus still remember how to win a Grand Slam semifinal? Its a long time since she played at this stage of a major, with that last appearance in the final four coming at the 2010 US Open.And its seven years since Venus won a Grand Slam semiifinal -- that was at the 2009 Wimbledon Championships, when she finished as the runner-up to her sister.ddddddddddddowever, unlike her younger sister, she wont be walking out on to the grass with a racket bag loaded up with pressure and expectation.At the age of 36, and the oldest Grand Slam semifinalist since Martina Navratilova here in 1994, Venus can play a lot more freely than Serena, carrying mostly romantic hopes on her shoulders rather than anything heavier.Fearless VesninaOf the four semifinalists, its the unseeded Russian who has the least to lose on Thursday. She also has resolved to make the most of her contest with Serena (having fun is about the last thing that will be on the younger Williams sisters mind on Centre Court).Thats a dream semifinal, Vesnina said after getting through to the last four. Nothing can be better than playing against Serena in a semifinal on Centre Court at Wimbledon. Its special.Of course, I need to try to win this match. Its not only about you have to show your best tennis. You have to stick to your game, you have to be solid, you have to enjoy yourself on the court. Of course, I will try to win it.And the more freely Vesnina plays, the more Serena might start doubting herself.Record defenceKerber will be looking to protect Grafs record of 22 Grand Slam titles again. Her victory over Serena at the Australian Open prevented the Californian from going level with the German who dominated the womens game. Yeah, I think I helped Steffi right now, Kerber said after that Melbourne victory.Clearly, Kerbers main motivation will be to win a first Wimbledon title, with any thoughts for Graf secondary.But patriotism could still be a factor if her views on the German soccer team, who play their own semifinal against France in the European Championships on Thursday, are anything to go by.I am looking forward to both [semifinals] actually, Kerber said after beating Dominika Cibulkova in her quarterfinal. I will start, then I hope that the German football team will make the final as well.She would be doing her bit for German tennis if she could beat Venus as that probably would give her a final against Serena and the opportunity to once again stop history being made. ' ' '