Mata urges his team-mates to push on

– Manchester United players will have to motivate themselves at home to Bournemouth tonight after manager Jose Mourinho suggested their Premier League title challenge was probably over.

The 2-1 defeat at home to Manchester City on Sunday leaves United second in the table but a daunting 11 points behind their city rivals.

However, United’s Spanish forward Juan Mata (right) issued a stirring rallying call in the wake of the defeat.

“We must carry on, there’s still a long way to go,” said Mata.

“The list of fixtures is very demanding this month so it’s important to get to each game in the best condition possible.”

United’s fixture list is indeed

Manchester

a hectic one – tonight’s match is the fourth of nine games they face this month.

It does not help that they will once again be without France midfielder Paul Pogba, who serves the second game of a three-match ban incurred for his sending-off at Arsenal on December 2.

Pogba’s influence was undoubtedly missed during Sunday’s derby, although Bournemouth should be far less of a test for Nemanja Matic and Ander Herrera than Manchester City were.

Herrera still needs to watch his step, though, as he is one booking away from a one-match ban, as is wingback Ashley Young.

Bournemouth’s 2-2 draw at Crystal Palace at the weekend left Eddie Howe’s side three points clear of the bottom three. –