• Spanish midfielder: ‘I always try to score more than 10 goals in a season’ • Mata insists he is happy to play in a wide right position for the club

Juan Mata is confident he can help ease the goalscoring burden on Wayne Rooney by again reaching double figures for Manchester United.

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Louis van Gaal hopes Rooney will live up to his promise of scoring at least 25 times for the club as he returns to the central striker role. Robin van Persie and Radamel Falcao have both departed Old Trafford to leave only Rooney, James Wilson and Javier Hernández as recognised finishers, but Mata – who scored 10 goals last season – has an impressive goal record for a midfielder.

“I always try to score,” Mata said. “I have always done that. I used to play as a striker when I was a kid and every team I played for I had a good goals record and it is the same at United, too. This season I will aim again to score a good number and to help the team with assists and goals. I had a 21-goal season at Chelsea [2012-13 including internationals with Spain] and 14 another year with Valencia [2009-10] so I have always been lucky enough to score a good number for a midfielder.

“I always try to score more than 10 goals in a season. I have nearly always done that and I think that is a good number for a midfielder. Last season I tried to score as many as I could and it is always a big part of my game. I will try again to be in and around the box and score again.”

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Two of Mata’s goals last year were the goals in United’s 2-1 victory at Liverpool. Both of these were supreme finishes. “It was amazing for me and for the fans,” he said. “They will not forget the day because it was a special venue against a massive opponent. It was a good day for me but before that I think I had already played a few good games. It was a boost for all the team’s confidence.”

Van Gaal is constantly reminding his players that the season opener against Tottenham on 8 August at Old Trafford is vital. Last term his team were defeated 2-1 by Swansea City at home, the start of a run that drew only 13 points from 10 games.

This year United have to play a Champions League qualifying round tie to enter the competition proper and the first leg is only 10 days after the Spurs match. “The game against Tottenham can be a good boost of confidence for us,” Mata said. “It is massive for us to be in the Champions League this season. We cannot afford not to play European football. We need to be in the Champions League and the two play-off matches are very important.

“The most important game is Tottenham. Then we have our second match [against Aston Villa] and we need to be fit enough mentally and physically for the battle in Europe because it is going to be a battle.”

Mata has become a first choice under Van Gaal playing in a wide right position. Asked if this was his best position the Spaniard said: “It just depends how we shape. I used to play on the right and I used to play as a No10 and on the left. Right now I am very comfortable to be playing on the right.

“I try to cut inside with either Antonio [Valencia] or Matteo [Darmian] overlapping me and I feel very comfortable there, trying to link with the No10 and the striker.”