Going into the third round of Premier League fixtures, there is nothing unexpected about three of the four teams with 100 percent records.
Leaders City, revitalised by new manager Pep Guardiola, and second placed United, already bearing the unmistakable stamp of Jose Mourinho, have quickly drawn the battle lines in their expected duel for the title, while fourth placed Chelsea are resurgent under the leadership of new boss Antonio Conte.
But the one unexpected sight at the business end of the table is the presence of troubled Hull in third spot, making their encounter with Mourinho's star-studded line-up at the KCOM Stadium one of Saturday's most intriguing clashes.
Hull, promoted from the second tier last season, have enjoyed wins over champions Leicester and Swansea in their opening two matches despite the shock departure of manager Steve Bruce, who quit in protest at a lack of signings, fan protests against controversial owners the Allan family and injuries that left caretaker boss Mike Phelan with only 13 fit senior players.
Phelan, a former United player and coach, is in line to get the Hull job permanently as a reward for steering his squad through such a turbulent period and United winger Mata is well aware of the potential threat posed by the Tigers.
"We have a tough game ahead at Hull. They are back in the Premier League this year and are having a surprising start. We will try to win and keep our good streak," Mata said.
After last season's struggles at the end of the unlamented Louis van Gaal era, Mourinho has lifted spirits at United, with new signings Paul Pogba, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Eric Bailly already making strong impressions.
But Mata struck a cautious note, saying: "It's still August and that means we are still working on a few adjustments.
"We know there's still room for improvement. We are laying the foundations of the team for this season."
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