Mata: Manchester United can still secure top-four finish

Despite being 11 points behind Liverpool, who are currently in pole position to claim Champions League football, the Spaniard still believes they can overhaul the Anfield outfit.

 

Manchester United's record signing Juan Mata is still hopeful the club can finish in the top four and qualify for next season's Champions League.

The Spain international arrived at Old Trafford in a £37.1million deal from Premier League rivals Chelsea in January and has had an immediate impact, assisting goals in three of his first four league outings for the Red Devils.

Rooney calls for patience with Mata

The England international was encouraged by the Red Devils' performance in the draw at Arsenal and expects his new team-mate to become a huge player for the club once settled.


Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney believes record signing Juan Mata will need time to settle at Old Trafford.

Mata has started four games since making the move from Premier League rivals Chelsea but has tasted victory for his new side only once.

In the middle of what has been a rocky season for the champions under the stewardship of David Moyes, Rooney has been impressed by the Spaniard.

Mata: I will play anywhere for Man Utd

The club-record signing has played all across midfield in his short spell with the champions, and insists he remains happy to have joined a "very, very big club"

 

Juan Mata has insisted he is happy to play anywhere for Manchester United and remains glad he moved to the club in January.

The Spaniard has ended on the winning team just once since joined the club in a £37.1 million move in January, filling a number of roles in his short stint at Old Trafford.

David Moyes has already utilised Mata on either flank, as well as in behind a main striker, but the 25-year-old is only interested in where he can best help the team's cause.

Fulham draw was 'cruel', says Mata

The Red Devils slipped further behind in the race for fourth place with a draw against the Cottagers on Sunday, and the club's record signing says the players must remain strong.

 

Juan Mata has urged his Manchester United team-mates to stick together and not blame bad luck for side's recent slump after their "cruel" 2-2 home draw to Fulham on Sunday.

The Cottagers stunned the Red Devils as Darren Bent nodded in a 94th-minute equaliser to earn a share of the spoils, with United struggling to create clear-cut chances despite dominating possession and producing a staggering 81 crosses.

These are worrying times for United fans as the champions are nine points adrift of fourth-placed Liverpool

Mata relishes attacking link-up

Juan Mata says he has been working hard on building an understanding with Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie, insisting top players are capable of playing alongside anyone.
 
The trio lined up together for the first time for last weekend's trip to Stoke with Mata and van Persie combining for United's goal in the 2-1 defeat.
The Spain international says he already feels settled at United and is relishing the chance to play alongside players of the calibre of Rooney and van Persie, as well as the burgeoning talent of Adnan Januzaj.
"We have been working on things in training to try to link better and understand each other better," Mata told MUTV. "But when you talk about players like them, they are top players so it's easy to play with them.

Giggs: Mata buy shows intent

Ryan Giggs expects Manchester United boss David Moyes to add more new faces to his squad in the summer.
After signing Marouane Fellaini last year and Juan Mata in January, the Reds manager has gone on record as expressing a desire to continue rebuilding his side when the transfer window reopens again at the end of the season.
Moyes has taken time to consider the merits of the players he inherited from Sir Alex Ferguson but is hoping to make several new signings to follow Fellaini and Mata into Old Trafford.
"I think it was always going to be the case with a new manager coming in with different ideas," insisted Giggs on MUTV. "Obviously, he's had a good look at all the players here at the moment but wants to stamp his own authority on the team.
"By signing Juan, it's a message of intent really that we are able to go and get great players like that and there are many more to come hopefully."