Fenerbahce vs Manchester United LIVE: Europa League team news and line-ups as Jose Mourinho faces former side
Erik ten Hag’s side will expect to face a hostile atmosphere with Mourinho relishing the chance to face his former club in Europe
Manchester United take on Fenerbahce in a Europa League clash in Istanbul, as Jose Mourinho faces his former side.
Mourinho was in typical box-office form as he welcomed Erik ten Hag’s team to Turkey and is no doubt relishing the chance to add to their difficult start to the season. The Portuguese spent an eventful two-and-a-half years at United before he was sacked following a poor run of form in December 2018.
The pressure on his successor, Ten Hag, was lifted slightly by Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Brentford in the Premier League. The result ended a run of five games in a row without a win, which included draws against FC Twente and Porto to start their Europa League campaign.
Ten Hag’s side can expect a hostile atmosphere in Istanbul and United have not won any of their last four trips to Turkey, including a dramatic 3-3 draw away to Galatasaray last season. Follow live updates from the Europa League clash between Fenerbahce and Manchester United, below
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
Jose Mourinho’s record against Manchester United
Jose Mourinho has faced Manchester United 24 times as a manager, and has only faced Barcelona (31) and Liverpool (27) more.
His record is pretty good, with 10 wins, nine draws and only five defeats across his spells with Porto, Chelsea, Inter, Real Madrid and Tottenham.
He, of course, faced United more often with Chelsea, with 14 meetings across his two spells with the Blues. He only lost one of those games, in 2005-06, and that was when Cheslea won the league anyway.
His victory with Porto at Old Trafford in early 2004, over 20 years ago now, remains iconic, as Mourinho sprinted down the touchline to announce himself to the world.
Manchester United’s record in Turkey
It’s been 14 years since Manchester United’s last victory in Turkey - a 3-0 victory over Bursaspor in the group stages of the Champions League. They have since faced Galatasaray twice, Fenerbahce and Istanbul Basaksehir without winning.
Last season brought a dramatic 3-3 draw with Galatasaray in United’s shambolic Champions League group stage campaign. Their previous visit was an embarrasing defeat to Buyuksehir under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer four years ago.
United last faced Fenerbahce in the group stages of the 2016/17 Europa League, which actually came under Jose Mourinho. Although United lost 2-1, they were already through and went on to win the tournament that season.
Familiar faces in the Fenerbahce team
It’s not just Jose Mourinho who Manchester United will be up against tonight. The Fenerbahce team includes former United players in Fred and Sofyan Amrabat.
There are also plenty of former Premier League players, such as Allan Saint-Maximin, Dusan Tadic, Edin Dzeko, Caglar Soyuncu and Cenk Tosun. A real Motley Crew.
What if Jose Mourinho had succeeded Alex Ferguson in 2013?
It was perhaps the first sign of things to come: failure for Manchester United, frustration for Jose Mourinho. And this was way before the Portuguese actually went to the club. That febrile period from 2016 to 2018 is obviously going to be brought up a lot as Mourinho’s Fenerbahce take on his old club in the Europa League on Thursday, but of more interest is perhaps what happened in May 2013. And, what might have happened.
What if Jose Mourinho had succeeded Alex Ferguson? Man Utd’s alternative history
Do United win the Premier League in 2013-14 if they hire Mourinho instead of David Moyes? Or does the reckoning at Old Trafford happen regardless if Mourinho is hired three years earlier?
Jose Mourinho reacts to Sir Alex Ferguson’s Man Utd contract being terminated
Jose Mourinho maintains Sir Alex Ferguson has something more precious than his ambassadorial role after Ineos terminated his £2m contract as part of its cost-cutting drive.
Sir Alex has pocketed the annual sum each year since stepping down as manager in 2013, but the move by Ineos, owned by British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe, has raised eyebrows.
Amicable talks were held to end the existing deal between the legendary former manager, who will retain a role as a non-executive director, and club officials, but Mourinho, who will face his former club in the Europa League on Thursday, maintains the Scot retains something more important.
Jose Mourinho reacts to Sir Alex Ferguson’s Man Utd contract being terminated
The Fenerbahce boss spoke glowingly about the legendary manager after his deal as a global ambassador of the club was not renewed beyond this season
Jose Mourinho claims his Manchester United team could still win title
With City facing a hearing into over 100 alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules, over a nine-year period that included Jose Mourinho’s spell in charge of United, he could not resist a reference to the 2017-18 season.
Mourinho said when reflecting on his time in Manchester: “We won Europa League, finished second in the Premier League. I think we still have a chance to win that league, because maybe they punish Man City. Maybe we win that league, then they have to pay me the bonus and give me the medal!”
City deny all charges and announced their “surprise” when they were referred to the independent commission last February.
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