Mata: It’s a complicated situation, but United can recover

Manchester United playmaker Juan Mata insists he and his team-mates can arrest their slump over the next week when they face Stoke and Chelsea.

Addressing fans in his weekly blog, the Spaniard wrote: “We are really disappointed for not giving you what you deserve, because your support is amazing and unconditional, but I’m sure that we will turn this situation around.”

Mata, who was sold by Mourinho to United for £37.1million in January 2014, was disappointed to lose to Norwich but hopes the Red Devils can return to winning ways at Stoke on Boxing Day.

“I was confident that we were going to get the three points on Saturday in Old Trafford, but that was not the case,” said the 27-year-old, who will come up against his former club, now managed by Guus Hiddink, on December 28.

“We are in a complicated situation and in order to get out of it we have to stick together and believe in ourselves so we can get a positive result as soon as possible.

“We all feel frustrated, same as last week, and we need to win a game as quickly as possible because it will change our mood and give us confidence, I’m sure of that.

“Our next chance to do it will be on Boxing Day at Stoke, and that’s not an easy game.

“No matter how tough the situation can be, I’m not even thinking about giving up.

“I believe that’s the only way to get out of this bad streak: keep working hard and sooner or later we will get the results that we want.”