With breaking into the top-four in the league looking less likely by the week for United, Mata wants to qualify for the Champions League next season by winning the Europa League.
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Manchester United take on FC Midtjylland in the second leg of their Europa League last-32 tie at Old Trafford tonight.
Manchester United legend David Beckham has nothing but praise for manager Louis van Gaal, and has insisted he has heard only good things about him.
United extended their FA Cup run with a comfortable 3-0 win over Shrewsbury on Monday to secure a meeting with West Ham United in the quarter-finals.
“For me as a player, the only thing I have in my mind is to perform as good as I can in every single game”, he said. “They though it was OK to throw a coin at their own players”.
“I’m also always convinced that they play their first match very well and maybe the second, but when you get to the third it’s about consistency and that’s very important for youth players”. “There are not so many players who can do what Anthony Martial is doing”.
The red devils come into the game under pressure despite beating Shrewsbury Town in the FA Cup last time out, they were without a win in three matches two of which were defeats against relegation-threatened Sunderland, as well as Thursday nights Danish opponents.
On whether opponents will be more motivated because they are playing at Old Trafford: “I was not a great player but I was always at my best in a full stadium”.
“I think it’s a very special competition to play in”, Mata told MUTV. “It is not easy being manager of Man United”.
“The Premier League is the Premier League for the great players we bring in, the great teams, the money, the fans and the great characters that we have as managers”. You can see the results of us five starting, to try to get into the first team. There is a lot of criticism.
“As a United fan, I always hoped we wouldn’t go through a slump, but it was inevitable”.
With United desperately needing a goal you know who popped up to put his side 2-1 up on the night, although still needing one more.
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A Chelsea spokesman said the club would work with police to identify the culprits and ban them from games.
