United need to win trophy to save season, says Rooney

The Wolves reached the last 32 by finishing second in their group, behind Napoli but ahead of United’s early-season Champions League opponents Club Brugge, and will no doubt be inspired by the visit of Louis van Gaal’s side to their 11,800-capacity MCH Arena.

Other sides may played weakened teams in this competition but given its importance to United’s season expect van Gaal to go strong from the outset…or at least as strong as he can given the injury problems at Old Trafford right now.

“At times it’s been frustrating for us as we have under-performed”, he explained.

“My personal experience tells me that if we work for it with excitement it could be a positive way to finish the season, as I lived three seasons ago (at Chelsea)”.

“But we’re going on the pitch. We have to create chances and win games and we haven’t done that enough this season”.

United’s attentions move away from the league in the coming week with the return of the Europa League and FA Cup, with the former offering a potential route into the Champions League.

“The important thing now, I feel, is to win trophies again this season”, he said.

Rooney, however, said the club could not afford to take the opportunity to win silverware lightly.

“This is more or less a new team so for ourselves, as a team, we need to win something”.

“At the moment we face Midtjylland, the current champions of Denmark, now third in their league”.

United fans, many of whom want Jose Mourinho to replace Van Gaal, have vented their anger at the team and the manager on several occasions this season and Mata can see why.

“Make no mistake, we’ll be going into Thursday’s game aiming to win, as we want to do well in the competition”.

Winning a national cup competition only secures a qualification spot into the Europa League yet winning the continent’s secondary competition provides a passage into the premier tournament, the Champions League.