Mata Shares Fans' Frustrations

Juan Mata admits the Manchester United players have been equally as frustrated as the club's fans as the Reds aim to overturn a first-leg Europa League deficit against Midtjylland on Thursday.

The 2-1 defeat in Denmark naturally attracted plenty of criticism and, even though United have since progressed in the Emirates FA Cup with a comfortable fifth-round triumph at Shrewsbury Town, the players are under pressure to also advance in Europe in front of the Old Trafford supporters.

"We are the ones that play so we, as a group of players, want the best for the club," said Mata at Wednesday's pre-match press conference. "We want the best for the supporters, we know we need to improve in our group level sometimes.

"So obviously we feel the frustrations from the fans because they are our own frustrations. As a player, I have played under a lot of managers in my career and I always tried my best and I always will. That's my job and that's my duty, to give my best any time."

Mata was asked how he reacted to negative press about his role in Midtjylland's winning goal, scored by substitute Paul Onuachu.

"Well, it's something you have to handle as a professional footballer and playing for such a club," he replied. "You have to be open to that. But no-one better than myself knows how I played the game. No-one better than us as players knows how we felt in the game and whether we've done good or bad. I'm not really bothered about these things. I was very, very sad and frustrated because of the game, because of the result and because of our away fans - but not because of the media criticism."

Mata won the Europa League with Chelsea in 2013 and dismissed suggestions a lengthy run in the competition would have a negative impact on the domestic campaign.

"There are a lot of games," he acknowledged. "Hopefully, we start tomorrow winning and then we have more matches to play. I have won it and I am very proud of it. It's another trophy in my career, a European trophy. I believe it would be the first time for the club to do it so I think it has its importance. And obviously it's a European trophy that allows you to play in the Champions League next season so it has a double importance.

"I don't think it's an issue [playing on Thursdays], no. Personally, it was not [an issue] that season when we [Chelsea] won it because we played more games than ever and I felt good with it. As you go through the rounds and get closer to the final, the passion is bigger than the tiredness in your legs so I don't think that is the issue."

In a separate interview with MUTV, the United playmaker admitted Midtjylland will aim to make life as difficult as possible for the Reds.

"We definitely need to show ambition and be intensive from the first minute until the last, because we need to win," Mata said. "We need to beat them, we need to score goals, we need to create a good atmosphere on the pitch and in the stadium, so we will try from the first minute to come back in this tie.

"For them, it will be the game of their lives because I guess for most of them it will be their first time at Old Trafford, so they will fight until the last minute to get through and they had a good result in the first leg. We have to manage that, we have to be ready for it and we have to show we are Manchester United and want to win this trophy. The first step is coming back in this game and winning.

"I think they are a very well organised team. They defended very well in their own stadium. It’s true that it was a small pitch, so there was less space to find, but they were well organised, they took their chances and they deserve credit for what they did in the first game in Denmark."