Mata: I Have Never Felt Better Here

Juan Mata says the current run of results is the best he's known during his time at Manchester United - but insists the players are only looking to build, not dwell, on the nine wins in a row.

United's consecutive victories since early December have been spread across four different competitions, but crucially six triumphs in a row in the Premier League have put the Reds very much back in the hunt of the leading pack at the top of the table.

"It is very important to be consistent if you want to win things and that is one of the things the manager has always said," remarked Mata, when speaking to journalists after scoring in Tuesday's 2-0 win over Hull.

"The manager said we needed to find this routine of always winning and we have done that in the last two months and we have to keep that going.

"In terms of results this is the best I have known at Manchester United. And in terms of the confidence and the mentality we are showing, it is also the best time since I have been here.

"Nine wins in a row feels very good. We are playing better - not so good in some games but we are still winning. When you don't play your best game but you are winning then it is a strong mentality, and this club should always have that."

Next up for Mata and his team-mates is a mouthwatering meeting with Liverpool at Old Trafford on Sunday, a fixture the Spaniard describes as "always very special". The creative no.8 and his team-mates are determined to make it another memorable day for the club's supporters.

"Now we have a massive game against Liverpool. Nine wins in a row is great but football has no past, you have to live in the present and the present is Liverpool," he said.

"When we play at Old Trafford we need to play strong and play at our best level for these kind of games. We will try to create a special game for everyone who likes United."

Mata is approaching the third anniversary of his arrival at the club during the transfer window of January 2014. When asked if he feels frustrated to have joined United at a time when silverware has been more difficult to secure, he pointed out: "We won the FA Cup and Community Shield last year but when you are in a club like this you expect to fight for everything. When I came it was after Sir Alex Ferguson and the most successful part of this club's history so it was not easy. But we feel we are getting there.

"The last two or three years have not been the best in the history of the club but hopefully the next ones will be very good and hopefully I can be here to live it and to celebrate very important things with United. I can imagine it will be amazing. The fans are so good and you can imagine what it would be like if we won an important trophy. That would be amazing.

"Let's see what the season brings for us," he continued. "We are in a good way now. We are closer to Wembley in the EFL Cup, still alive in the FA Cup and having good results in the Premier League, plus the Europa League. So we have many options to fight for."