DPA/London


After stumbling in their return to the Champions League, Manchester United are looking get their European campaign on track.  
United were dealt a surprising defeat in their opening match by PSV Eindhoven and now face Wolfsburg today.
Midfielder Juan Mata called on the crowd at Old Trafford to play its part in helping them secure the three points.
“We know we must fix our situation in the group after losing against PSV on week one,” the Spaniard wrote in his blog.
“In order to do so we count on Old Trafford, because we are sure our crowd will celebrate being back to the top competition in Europe.”
United missed out on the Champions League last season for the first time in 18 years.
The excitement of the three-times champions being back in the competition was tempered somewhat by the opening loss, one of a trio suffered by English teams on matchday one.
Manager Louis van Gaal feels the highly-competitive Premier League leaves the teams at a bit of a disadvantage.
“The Premier League is a very difficult league,” the Dutchman said on the club’s website. “To beat your opponent every week is not easy, it is always a struggle and a battle.
“Then you have to play again midweek in the Champions League and that is the difference between all the clubs in Europe.
“It is not predictable to say four teams in the Premier League shall overcome this group stage round, no, it is not like that.
“But I have to say that we have the teams to do it and we have the quality to do it.”
United have won three straight in all competitions since the PSV defeat and now sit atop the Premier League, one point ahead of rivals Manchester City.
“From the first day I was hoping to see the team in this place that the club has occupied so many times in the past,” Mata said.
“Our current position is a consequence of the good work, but right now, still in September, it doesn’t mean anything if we don’t keep working, and we know that.
“We have ambition, but we are aware that the way ahead is very long and tough.”
Wolfsburg opened their Champions League campaign with a 1-0 home win over CSKA Moscow and are currently fourth in the Bundesliga even after stumbling a bit over the past week.  
Although a 5-1 loss to Bayern Munich in which Robert Lewandowski scoring all of the victors’ goals in a nine-minute span was have been followed by a 1-1 draw with Hannover, goalkeeper Diego Benaglio knows his side will be ready.
“We have worked very hard to put ourselves in a position to experience such games as this one against Manchester United and we want to do well there,” he said on the club’s website.
“We are not traveling to England to have a look at the stadium.”