Juan Mata has insisted that he and his Manchester United teammates will stick together after the agony of throwing away two points against Leicester City.

The Spain international scored either side of half time to put the Red Devils on course for victory at the King Power Stadium, having earlier falling behind to a Jamie Vardy strike.

After wasting numerous chances to seal the win, United were pegged back in stoppage time through a Harry Maguire goal to leave the East Midlands with a 2-2 draw, which Mata concedes is as painful as a defeat.

"We did the most difficult thing to score twice after they scored," he told Sky Sports News. "We win together, we draw or lose together and today feels like a defeat. We defend as a team and I will not speak about these things.

"It feels like a defeat. We should have killed the game somehow. We did OK but in the last moment we go back to Manchester very disappointed."

United are now 13 points adrift of leaders Manchester City - the biggest gap between first and second at Christmas in English top-flight history.