Juan Mata is refusing to give up on Manchester United's hopes of finishing in the Premier League's top four this season, despite manager Jose Mourinho claiming that the battle is over.
United's 2-0 defeat at Arsenal on Sunday left them four points off the Champions League places with just three games of the campaign to go.
Mata, 29, accepts that the focus should now be on their Europa League semifinal second leg with Celta Vigo at Old Trafford on Thursday, but says "anything can happen" in the Premier League ahead of the remaining matches against Tottenham, Southampton and Crystal Palace.
"We play Celta Vigo and we need to focus on that from this moment," Mata told MUTV. "We need to recover and focus on the second leg because we have the chance to play in a European final.
"We are fighting for a Champions League spot through the Europa League, but as well through the Premier League and we came here [to Arsenal] with this aim but unfortunately we couldn't win.
"We have a really important chance to play [in the] Champions League through the Europa League but in the Premier League anything can happen. We will try to win our remaining games and maybe we are in the top four."
Mata's return to the team after spending six weeks on the sidelines was one positive for United at the Emirates Stadium.
Another was the performance of Axel Tuanzebe, 19, on his full debut. The defender kept Alexis Sanchez quiet for much of the game, despite playing at right-back rather his preferred position at centre-back.
"It's all thanks to the manager because he gave me the opportunity," Tuanzebe told MUTV. "We didn't get the win, which is a disappointment, but I'm chuffed personally.
"The manager gave me one task, to stay with him [Sanchez], and I seemed to do that quite well, but again, we didn't win so it doesn't count as much. But it's good to have the opportunity to play. The manager gives you a job and you have to show he can trust you for future games."
As well as Tuanzebe, it was also a big day for midfielder Scott McTominay, 20, who made his senior debut as a late replacement for Mata.
Tuanzebe believes Mourinho's trust in youngsters bodes well for players such as Demetri Mitchell and United States youth international Matthew Olosunde, who also made the trip to North London but were not included in the squad.
Tuanzebe added: "My goals now are to get as many minutes as I can until the end of the season and come back stronger for preseason, to show the manager I'm here and one of the stronger candidates for next year's team.
"The manager giving the young players opportunities is always good and I've grown up with Scott over the years, so to see him make his debut is a proud moment.
"It can help all the young players coming through the system to believe they can do it. Marcus [Rashford] was an example and now I'm an example, Tim [Fosu-Mensah] and Scott are examples. It gives the young lads a boost that they can do it, too."