Juan Mata scored a 45-pass move for Manchester United at Southampton… which team has put together the most passes for a Premier League goal in the last five years?

  • Manchester United beat Southampton 3-2 in the Premier League
  • Juan Mata scored what proved to be the winner at St Mary's
  • His touch completed a 45-pass move as United climbed to second
  • But the sequence doesn't top the list from the last five years 

By Martin Domin for MailOnline

Published: 05:32 EST, 21 September 2015 | Updated: 12:05 EST, 21 September 2015

Manchester United's attacking play has come in for criticism this season but there was no doubting the quality of the 45-pass move that led to their third goal at Southampton.

Juan Mata put the finishing touch on the move to score what proved to the winning goal with Graziano Pelle pulling one back at the death in a 3-2 win.

But the sequence is not quite enough to take United to the top of the list of most passes to set up a Premier League goal, sitting just behind Tottenham's 48-pass move against Queens Park Rangers last season.

Scroll down for the full table 

Juan Mata celebrates the goal that effectively earned Manchester United all three points at Southampton

Juan Mata celebrates the goal that effectively earned Manchester United all three points at Southampton

The ball nestles in the net from Mata's finish to complete a 45-pass move to put United further in front

The ball nestles in the net from Mata's finish to complete a 45-pass move to put United further in front

Mata's goal arrived after a stunning 45-pass move by Manchester United carved open Southampton

Mata's goal arrived after a stunning 45-pass move by Manchester United carved open Southampton

Nacer Chadli scored the third in a 4-0 win with Morgan Schneiderlin's strike for his former employers Southampton in third place.

Collecting an assist from James Ward-Prowse, the France international finished a 40-pass move to slot past Newcastle goalkeeper Tim Krul - completing another 4-0 rout.

Manchester United Ashley Young sits fourth on the list with his goal in their 2-0 win at Blackburn in April 2012 coming after 37 continuous passes from the Red Devils.

Earlier in this campaign, Chelsea put together 25 passes before Cesar Azpilicueta scored their second against West Brom at Stamford Bridge. 

Nacir Chadli's (right) goal for Tottenham vs QPR last season consisted of 48 passes - the highest in five years

Nacir Chadli's (right) goal for Tottenham vs QPR last season consisted of 48 passes - the highest in five years

Gervinho watches on his strike against Wigan completes a 33-pass move for Arsenal back in December 2011

Gervinho watches on his strike against Wigan completes a 33-pass move for Arsenal back in December 2011

Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure (left) is the only player to feature in the top 22 more than once

Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure (left) is the only player to feature in the top 22 more than once

Despite insisting last week that United would not be able to mount a challenge for the Premier League title, Louis van Gaal saw his side move to within two points of the summit.

Their victory on the south coast came after leaders Manchester City dropped their first points of the season, losing to West Ham at the Etihad.

And the Dutchman was effusive about Mata's goal.

'Fantastic,' he said. 'And then you can finish it – unbelievable! With that amount of passes you control the game. I always say to the players that the gaps in the defensive organisation shall exist when you play a kind of positional game. We did it today and I was very pleased, of course it is confirmation of our philosophy.' 

HIGHEST NUMBER OF PASSES LEADING TO A GOAL IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE 
Date  PlayerTeam Opposition Assist Passes 
24/08/2014 Nacer ChadliTottenham Queens Park Rangers Erik Lamela 48 
20/09/2015 Juan Mata Manchester United Southampton Memphis Depay 45 
13/09/2014 Morgan Schneiderlin Southampton Newcastle James Ward-Prowse 40 
02/04/2012 Ashley Young Manchester United Blackburn RoversAntonio Valencia 37 
 03/02/2011Gervinho Arsenal Wigan  33 
 28/12/2010Mario Balotelli Manchester City Aston Villa  32 
 16/08/2014Ki Sung-Yueng Swansea City Manchester United Gylfi Sigurdsson 29 
 03/12/2014Stevan Jovetic Manchester City Sunderland Sergio Aguero 29 
 08/12/2012Michu Swansea City Norwich City Ben Davies 28 
04/03/2012 Clint Dempsey Fulham Wolves Mahamadou DIarra 26 
23/08/2015Cesar Azpilicueta Chelsea West Brom Diego Costa 25 
18/08/2014Andre Schurrle Chelsea Burnley Cesc Fabregas 25 
26/10/2014 Romelu Lukaku Everton Burnley  25 
 28/04/2012Gary Cahill Everton Fulham Steven Pienaar 25 
 21/11/2010Yaya Toure Manchester City Fulham Carlos Tevez25 
 20/04/2011Florent Malouda Chelsea Birmingham Ryan Bertrand 25 
 08/11/2014Emre Can Liverpool Chelsea Raheem Sterling 24 
 25/03/2014Wilfried Bony Swansea Arsenal Neil Taylor 24 
 11/09/2010Carlos Vela Arsenal Bolton Cesc Fabregas 24 
 18/08/2012Alexander Kacaniklic Fulham Norwich Mladen Petric 23 
 19/01/2013David Silva Manchester City Fulham Carlos Tevez 23 
 05/11/2011Yaya Toure Manchester City Queens Park Rangers Aleksander Kolarov 23 

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