Juan Mata Ruled out for Season Following Surgery

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has ruled Juan Mata out for the rest of the season due to injury.

The playmaker was expected to make a comeback before the end of the campaign, although as reported by Mark Ogden of ESPN FC, Mourinho provided a bleak update after the Spaniard’s surgery.

"End of May," Mourinho said when asked about Mata’s return. The Portuguese also revealed Phil Jones and Chris Smalling will be absent with knocks until "mid-May."

Mata's absence with this groin problem will be a massive blow to the Red Devils, as they continue to tussle on multiple fronts. United remain in contention for the UEFA Europa League and are also battling for a spot in the top four in the Premier League.

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Not having one of their main creators available for this congested stint of the season is going to be difficult, especially for a team that has looked a little one-dimensional in attack at times.

The diminutive Spaniard excelled earlier in the campaign, chipping in with crucial goals and offering tremendous inventiveness from a variety of different positions in midfield; he netted six times and laid on three assists in the Premier League in 2016-17.

Per WhoScored.com, he's one of the most dependable passers of a ball in the division, too:

Although Mourinho would love to call upon a player of Mata's class between now and the end of the season, the Portuguese does have options aplenty in the final third.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan has assumed the the role of creator-in-chief and is getting better as the season rolls on. Additionally, Jesse Lingard, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial can all operate off the striker or in a wider berth. Finding a balance without Mata has proved to be difficult, though.

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