Wednesday 24 February 2016 19:05, UK
Juan Mata says the fall-out after Manchester United's defeat to FC Midtylland in the Europa League is fuelling his determination to win the competition.
United have had a difficult season and must win at Old Trafford on Thursday after their surprise 2-1 loss in Herning last week if they are to remain in the tournament.
Even though Louis van Gaal's side trail going into the return leg with the Danish champions, they are favourites to progress.
Mata was amongst those to have under-performed against Midtjylland, making him all the more determined to make amends.
He said: "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. The only idea in my mind is to win.
"We know we have to improve our game level, in terms of how we played in Denmark. We should play better and we should adapt to their team better.
"But as a player it is not about what I say or what I write, it's about how I play and how we play. The fans want us to play, to win and make them feel happy with trophies.
"That's my only aim: to win, to make another step in this competition and hopefully we can go as far as we can and win the trophy because it has a double meaning for us.
"It has the meaning of winning for the first time for the club this Europa League and also because it gives the chance to play (in the) Champions League."
Van Gaal has been under severe pressure after a run of results which has seen his team win only nine times in their last 26 games.
Six of those successes have come in their last 11 outings so there has been an upturn in fortunes to an extent.
The setback in Denmark brought focus back on United's failings, however, and Dutchman van Gaal has told his players to ignore criticism of them and focus on their game.
Mata added: "It's something that you have to handle as a professional footballer and playing for such a club.
"No one knows better than myself how I played a game and no one knows better than us as players how we felt in the game, if we have done good or bad.
"I'm not really bothered about these things. I was very, very sad and frustrated because of the game, the result and our away fans, but not because of the media criticising."
