Fenerbahce vs Manchester United LIVE: Europa League result and final score as Jose Mourinho sent off
Fenerbahce 1-1 Manchester United: Mourinho was predictably at the centre of attention but Erik ten Hag’s side remain without a win in the Europa League this season
Jose Mourinho was sent off as Fenerbahce held his former club Manchester United to a 1-1 draw in the Europa League, leaving Erik ten Hag’s side without a win in three European games this season.
Mourinho was dismissed by referee Clement Turpin after appealing for a penalty midway through the second half. The 61-year-old watched the remainder of the match from the stands.
It came just after Youssef En-Nesyri equalised for Fenerbahce, beating Andre Onana with a downward header after the Manchester United goalkeeper had denied him with a brilliant double save before half time.
United’s defending was poor and had been coming with Ten Hag’s side retreating after Christian Eriksen’s opening goal on 15 minutes, as the midfielder finished off a clinical counter-attack.
United remain without a win in the Europa League after previous draws against FC Twente and Porto. It is now a year since their last European win: a 1-0 victory against Copenhagen at Old Trafford.
Fenerbahce vs Manchester United
Manchester United are without a win in this season’s Europa League after draws against FC Twente and Porto.
Can Erik ten Hag’s side get three points tonight? Or will Jose Mourinho find a way to pile the pressure on his former club?
Kick-off is next. It’s going to be loud!
Mourinho names Europa League favourites - and it’s not Fenerbahce
Jose Mourinho also declared that Manchester United and Tottenham, two of his former clubs, are clear favourites to win the Europa League this season.
“The results Man Utd is having, then the potential of the team, that is high, the two draws in the Europa League do not favour us, but doesn't make a huge difference.
At the end of the day, this new format, the top teams will always qualify, no problem for top teams to lose three or four matches out of eight, but then they will win three or four and qualify easily.
“They're in a stable situation. Which are the two biggest candidates to win it? It's easy, Man Utd and Tottenham. It's a different level of quality, pace, tactical culture, a different level of everything.”
Jose Mourinho’s final thoughts ahead of facing Manchester United
Jose Mourinho, speaking to TNT Sports.
“I feel good. Of course I would love an easier draw, especially this one against a very good Premier League team that is a different level.
“There were so many Champions League matches on Tuesday and Wednesday that were not as good as this one can be. Let’s try to win it.
“They were good [against Brentford]. As I say, when I analyse the team I can see the work that he [Ten Hag] is doing. Tactically they know what they want to do.
“They have certain dynamics that can be difficult to identify, we have to focus on the movements and not the players. We have tried to prepare them for this.
“We need support [from the crowd]. The Turkish culture can go in both directions. Hopefully they understand it is a difficult match for us and United will have the ball.
“We are missing a lot of players, players in different positions. When I see people moaning about the Manchester United players not there, I think, they should not be moaning.
“But I was also moaning when I was there!”
Manchester United expecting to face ‘hostile’ atmosphere
Erik ten Hag, speaking to TNT Sports, on what he will expect to face against Fenerbahce and Jose Mourinho tonight.
“The atmosphere will be very loud for sure, very hostile for sure,” he said.
“But we know the style, we know the style of the manager. He will play from the underdog position, he will play counter-attacks and he can do that very good.
“We have to be prepared for it, read the game and play it smart.”
Erik ten Hag confirms Rasmus Hojlund rested ahead of West Ham
Erik ten Hag adds that Rasmus Hojlund is still “building” his fitness and has dropped to the bench tonight ahead of the West Ham game on Sunday. The striker scored in the 2-1 win over Brentford but is replaced by Joshua Zirkzee in one of four changes.
“Rasmus is just returning from a big injury and we have to build him. We want to avoid him getting injured again and Sunday is another big game.”
Erik ten Hag confirms Noussair Mazraoui will play at No 10
Erik ten Hag confirms that Noussair Mazraoui will play in the No 10 position for his side tonight, in place of the suspended Bruno Fernandes.
He told TNT Sports: “We have injuries, we have a suspension. We had to be a bit creative. We have players who have a short turnaround to West Ham [on Sunday] so we had to make changes there. It’s not so different because we want to keep the consistency. We have Christian [Eriksen] and Manu [Ugarte].
“We bring Mazraoui into the No 10 position. I know him from before, at Ajax, and sometimes I played him there as well. Sometimes as a full-back he comes into the half-spaces. He is capable of doing this job.”
Jose Mourinho offers support to under-fire Erik ten Hag
Jose Mourinho did not criticise under-fire United boss Erik Ten Hag as he talked up the quality at his disposal, with the Portuguese’s fondness for his old club and Premier League life palpable.
“Maybe you English guys think I’m bluffing, you think I am playing how they used to call it ‘mind games’ or whatever,” he said in his press conference. “I’m not playing anything.
“They have a better team than the results are showing. Of course, I study them the maximum I could with my staff, my analysts. We watch everything in the Premier League, watch everything in the two matches - Twente and Porto.
“There is work there. They will succeed sooner or later, hopefully sooner and hopefully before one day I go back to the Premier League and they become my opponent.”
Erik ten Hag was out early applauding the United fans who have made the trip to Istanbul.
Fenerbahce vs Manchester United team news and line-ups!
Interesting... it that a back five from Erik ten Hag? He starts Matthijs de Ligt, Victor Lindelof, and Lisandro Martinez, as well as Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui. There is a chance Mazraoui is asked to play further forward, though.
Casemiro is only fit enough for the bench with Manuel Ugarte and Christian Eriksen in midfield. Joshua Zirkzee returns to the startling line-up with Rasmus Hojlund dropping out. Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford are on the wings.
Meanwhile there are plenty of familiar faces in Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce team. There are told ex-United players in Fred and Sofyan Amrabat, while Allan Saint-Maximin, Dusan Tadic and Caglar Soyuncu are ex-Premier League.
Fenerbahce vs Manchester United team news and line-ups!
Fenerbahce XI: Livakovic; Muldur, Djiku, Soyuncu, Osayi-Samuel; Amrabat, Fred, Szymanski; Tadic, En-Nesyri, Saint-Maximin
Manchester United XI: Onana, Lindelof, De Ligt, Martinez, Dalot, Mazraoui, Ugarte, Garnacho, Eriksen, Rashford, Zirkzee
Subs: Bayindir, Heaton, Amass, Ogunneye, Casemiro, Amad, Antony, Hojlund, Wheatley
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