Juan Mata hopes Man Utd can do a Chelsea in the Champions League this season

Juan Mata hopes the spirit of 2012 can save Manchester United’s torrid season.

The Spaniard was part of Chelsea’s greatest achievement six years ago when defying the odds to win the Champions League under Roberto di Matteo.

With United’s Premier League title challenge effectively over before Christmas - and even a top four finish in serious doubt - Europe could provide one of their last chances of salvaging their campaign.

There are echoes of Chelsea in 2011-12 when Andre Villas-Boas was sacked in the March of that season and caretaker Di Matteo led them to Champions League glory.

Man Utd face Valencia tonight knowing they’ve already qualified for the knockout stages and Mata said: “In football you never know.

“When we won the Champions League with Chelsea we beat Barcelona, Bayern Munich in the final in Munich. I don't think a lot of people were betting on us to win that tournament.

“Right now we only qualified after the group stage so there is a long way to reach the semi-final and final. But I can tell you I'm in a club that never stops believing.

“When you play for Manchester United you believe anything is possible.

“Obviously now we try to be first in the group. Once the draw is done then we look at our next opponent. That's how we did it in that year - focusing on the next rival and going step by step.

“I think it's better if we only speak about the next round rather than thinking about potential scenarios. But when you play for Manchester United anything is possible.”

United go into the game with one eye on Sunday’s clash with top of the table Liverpool.

Mata believes Jose Mourinho’s side can take encouragement from the 4-1 win against Fulham last weekend, which was the biggest of their season.

“I think it was a very much-needed win for us because of the result and the way we won, scoring many goals and having some nice football,” he said. “That's the path that we want to follow. We know we have a difficult game at the weekend against Liverpool and it will be more difficult, but we need to keep that style and try to produce performances like that one on a more consistent basis.

“I think that's what we should look forward to play that way on a more consistent basis and I think we have players to do that as we showed in the game against Fulham.

“As a player, I would love to play like that in every single game, but sometimes it depends on the rivals, sometimes it depends on other things that happen in the game, but my approach to football and for every game is to try to play to my best level by trying to create chances for my team, by scoring goals, by assisting, by giving my qualities to the team.

“I think it's what the fans want to see: a Manchester United team that wins and makes them proud, but with that kind of performance.”