There were several reservations about Jose Mourinho when he arrived at Old Trafford and chief among them was that he did not understand how to play ‘the United way’. This was a man who ‘parked buses’ and whose trademark score was the 1-0 win. There were plenty who believed Mourinho would win silverware but plenty who were anxious as to how he would go about it.

However, Juan Mata, who played under Mourinho at both Chelsea and Manchester United, has argued that coming to Old Trafford had changed the way Mourinho thought about football. “He has changed,” Mata said. “It is a different environment, it is a different club and squad. This club has always known that they play one kind of football which is about attacking and creating chances. We are doing that and he is happy with the performances.

“Everyone can see the players are playing with more confidence. He is the same person, with almost the same staff but what has changed is the environment.”

When Mourinho’s appointment was announced, Mata must have felt a sense of dread. This was, after all, the man who had allowed him to leave Chelsea. This season, however, Mata is more certain of his place against Liverpool on Sunday than either Anthony Martial or Wayne Rooney.

“It is nine wins is a row now and in terms of results, it’s the best I have known at Manchester United,” said Mata. “In terms of the confidence and mentality we are showing it is also the best time since I have been here.”

That is not quite the resounding vote of confidence it sounds. Mata’s transfer to Manchester United, arriving by helicopter to meet David Moyes, coincided with one of the roughest periods in the club’s history. Three months later, Moyes, who had managed to lose a League Cup semi-final to Sunderland, was gone. Louis van Gaal was not noticeably much of an improvement.

“We have won the FA Cup and the Community Shield but when you are at a club like this you expect to fight for everything,” said Mata. “When I came it was after Sir Alex Ferguson, who was the most successful manager in the club’s history, so it was not easy.

“But we feel we are getting there. The last two or three years have not been the best in the history of the club but, hopefully, the next ones will be very good and, hopefully, I will be here to live it. I can imagine it will be amazing. The fans are very good and you can imagine what it will be like if we won a major trophy.”

After Manchester United won the first leg of their League Cup semi-final 2-0 against Hull, Mourinho was critical both of the Old Trafford fans, whom he thought should have shown more fervour, and of Mata for his prolonged celebration in front of the Stretford End after opening the scoring. “In cup ties, every goal can be crucial, so why celebrate when you have half an hour to play?” he said.

It was, however, the second goal, scored by Moyes’s other signing for Manchester United – Marouane Fellaini – which drew the most vivid celebrations as player and manager embraced each other by the touchline. The previous month, against Tottenham, Fellaini had been booed by his own crowd.

It was not just the scorer but the scoreline which was significant. Mourinho is now very close to his fourth League Cup final. In the history of the League Cup that stretches back to 1960, eight teams have won the first leg of a semi-final 2-0 and all have gone on to reach the final. Only one team, Tranmere in 1994, has won the first leg of a League Cup semi-final by a two-goal margin and not reached the final.

Mata has scored seven goals for United this season (Getty)

They will also have an extra day to prepare for Sunday’s Premier League encounter with Liverpool. Another criticism levelled against Mourinho at Manchester United is that Tottenham are the only member of the top six he has beaten in the Premier League. Liverpool, by contrast, average 2.2 points per game against their five title rivals.

“We are playing better than we have though,” said Mata. “It’s been not so good in some games but we are winning and when you are not playing at your best but winning it creates a strong mentality and this club should have it always.