Juan Mata Says Manchester United Can't Blame 'Bad Luck' After 1-1 West Ham Draw

Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata has said the team can't blame "bad luck" for failing to beat West Ham United on Sunday.

Mata was part of the side unable to break the resistance of Slaven Bilic's West Ham, who held United to a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford.

Per BBC Sport, manager Jose Mourinho recently opined United were the "unlucky team in the Premier League." Writing on his blog, however, Spain star Mata said the players could no longer look for excuses:

"

You feel helpless after these games when you think that you’ve played better than the opponent, that you’ve had chances to score and the goalkeeper has had a fantastic performance. But we can’t complain, we can’t just blame the bad luck. We know we must find the target more often to score more goals. We are doing what is more difficult: being able to create those chances, and now we have to take them. Otherwise, at this level you get penalised as we have seen lately.

"

After missing the chance to beat Arsenal in their previous league game, Mourinho suggested United had deserved more this season.

He told BBC Sport: "If we just focus on [draws against] Burnley, Stoke and Arsenal—nine points easily. If we had those six points more, we are top four and close to the top of the league. We all know inside that, in this moment, we are the unlucky team in the Premier League."

Mata's remarks could serve as a wake-up call to his United team-mates:

The West Ham result was United's fourth consecutive home league draw, the first time that has happened since December 1980, per Saj Chowdhury of BBC Sport.

Indeed, below-par form at Old Trafford has been at the forefront of United's indifferent start to the season. Mata noted as much, writing: "When we seem to be close to a victory, it just slips away."

At times, United's play has been far too slow and sluggish, and they have encountered real problems in moving opposing teams around, particularly those that defend in numbers. But so far, the Red Devils' threat has been nullified on multiple occasions.

In the midfield positions, it can be argued Mourinho has changed personnel too often in his attempts to find a method that works best.

Michael Carrick and Ander Herrera may be in the starting lineup, but they haven't yet been allowed to build a proper partnership alongside the newer additions such as Paul Pogba.

The dynamics of a team can often come from how the midfield is set up, and Mourinho's decision to welcome Bastian Schweinsteiger back into the fold could yet prove a masterstroke. However, it looks a desperate move, as the Portuguese hasn't considered the player since his tenure began in the summer.

OLI SCARFF/Getty Images

United have an abundance of talented players at their disposal, but Mourinho has so far appeared to struggle over how to get them to jell.

While the problem may stem from the middle of the park, United have also relied too heavily on Zlatan Ibrahimovic for goals.

The Swede has weighed in with seven league goals, but far more support is needed from the likes of Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford. The latter looks far less of a threat when he is forced to operate on the flanks rather than centrally.

OLI SCARFF/Getty Images

If United are to turn their home form around, as Mata states, they must start to take their chances in front of goal. They are already eight points off the Champions League spots, and with the exception of Tottenham in fifth place, the teams above them are scoring goals far more readily.

While misfortune may have played some part in matches this season, Mata is right to suggest it's time the players took responsibility for adding the finishing touches on the pitch and dragging the team up the Premier League table.