Juan Mata sends message to Donny van de Beek after scoring on Manchester United return vs Lyon

Former Manchester United ace Juan Mata was delighted for former teammate Donny van de Beek after he scored the winner in Wednesday's 1-0 triumph over Lyon at Murrayfield in Edinburgh.

Making his first appearance in more than six months after suffering a serious knee injury back in January, Van de Beek stepped off the bench at half-time to volley home the winner just four minutes later. He connected with youngster Dan Gore's cross as he lashed an unstoppable effort into the back of the net.

It was enough to seal a second win in as many pre-season outings for the Reds, meaning they will head into their tour of the United States with a spring in their step. They face Arsenal in their opening game of the tour on Saturday.

Though the clash with Lyon was only a friendly, the outpour of emotion from Van de Beek when he celebrated his goal proved just how much it meant to him. He has experienced a difficult time over the last three years, not least in the last six months.

Want to join our MUFC Pro club for a totally ad-free version of the MEN's Man United app packed with premium features? Click here.

READ MORE: Erik ten Hag gives verdict on Jonny Evans' performance vs Lyon

He screamed to the heavens above and then, just for a moment, put his hands over his face, making it clear that it was a highly emotional moment for him. He was mobbed by his teammates, who were evidently made up for him to mark his return with a goal.

Following the victory in Edinburgh, Van de Beek took to his Instagram page to issue a message, writing: "The focus, hard work and dedication has never stopped. Just a friendly, but man that felt good after a difficult six months... Let's keep pushing!"

Unsurprisingly, the former Ajax midfielder's post