Mata: United fans are our 12th man

Ahead of the derby tonight, Juan Mata says the players are hoping they can pay back the fans for their amazing support, despite disappointing results.

“They are our 12th player and are so important to us,” Mata said in tonight’s programme. “They deserve a reward from our side. What we experienced in the Liverpool game was unbelievable. We lost 3-0 on a very difficult day yet when we were walking off the pitch at the end they were singing and clapping. It was amazing. They deserve more nights like we saw against Olympiacos. We need to show we can win against the big teams. It wasn’t a good game against Liverpool. Yes, they played well, but I think we can do better. It will be difficult because City are one of the best teams in the Premier League right now. They play great football and have a lot of quality players, but in our stadium and in front of supporters I think we can have a good game.”