Mourinho overseeing Fenerbahce training on Wednesday (Image: grttu)
Manchester United are set to face Fenerbahce in the Europa League without ten key players, including Mason Mount who is expected to be out for “a little bit longer”. The 25-year-old suffered a head injury during the 3-0 loss to Tottenham nearly a month ago and has since been dealing with a knock.
United boss Erik ten Hag confirmed that Mount’s recovery will take “a little bit longer, as we expected, but I think he will be back soon”. Other injured players include Leny Yoro (metatarsal), Tyrell Malacia (knee), Luke Shaw (calf), Harry Maguire (muscle), Jonny Evans (knock), Kobbie Mainoo (hamstring), Toby Collyer and Dan Gore, while Bruno Fernandes is suspended following his red card against Porto three weeks ago.
Full backs Habeeb Ogunneye and Harry Amass have been added to the squad, having both appeared in matchday squads earlier this year. United have only travelled to Istanbul with 20 players – three fewer than the maximum they are allowed for their Uefa matchday squad.
Ten Hag emphasised the importance of those available stepping up, saying: “Of course, players who are available have to do the job and they are capable,” and “I think we have enough players in the team, they are so experienced, we faced such situations more often.”
He also expressed excitement about the upcoming match, stating: “I think we’re looking forward to it. It will be a great ambience, that’s fuel for our team, it’s a challenge, motivation, it’s really good for us.”
Despite a recent run of just one win in their last ten European matches, United remain optimistic. Their scoring prowess has been evident with 12 goals in their last four European away games, but they’ve struggled to secure victories, losing two 4-3 and drawing the other two 3-3.
Their last triumph on foreign soil in European competition came against Real Betis in the Europa League round-of-16 in March 2023.
Meanwhile, Fenerbahce coach Jose Mourinho was in fine form during his pre-match press conference earlier this Wednesday. The Portuguese tactician, who guided United to their highest Premier League points tally in his second season in 2017-18, spoke respectfully about his former club and current manager Erik ten Hag.
He noted Ten Hag’s continued presence at the club as a sign of “staying season after season and that means stability, it means trust.”
Ten Hag, who ended United’s near six-year trophy drought in 2023, acknowledged the importance of winning in Europe. “We won domestic cups after he left but Man United didn’t win in Europe and it’s also for us a target, what we want to achieve and we have a big opportunity this season.”
He added: “But we have the quality, we have to win games, it’s a new set-up (in the Europa League), we are two games underway, we have two points, we know what we have to do and win games.”
“This season we just started, we have two draws. First season, I think we won a lot of European games. Last season, obviously it was for domestic and also in Europe, was a difficult journey. But we are confident, we are confident we are capable to do this, to win games in the Premier League and in Europe.”
“Mourinho and I, we won a lot of trophies the last years but you have to prove yourself every year and when you don’t win we are always under criticism. We know that we are experienced enough. Professional football is about winning games and when you don’t win, the criticism is coming.”
“But at the end of the day, it’s about how you are at the end of the year. Mourinho is so experienced, he will lead this team to its best form, he will be successful and so will we. We are convinced we are in the right direction, that we follow the right path and we will achieve what our targets are.”
“Fenerbahce is a very good team with a lot of good players,” Ten Hag added. “We know some: Fred a long time at Manchester United, very experienced, we won the Carabao Cup with him. Sofyan Amrabat: we won the FA Cup with him, very experienced, also very good in World Cup. Dusan Tadic: a long history with him at Ajax, won a lot of trophies with him.”
“They have so many experienced and good players. They have an experienced coach, so this is a very good players, very good team. We will not underestimate them or overestimate them, we have to play our own game.”
“We love to play in this environment, we look forward and we always look forward against good teams as a professional footballer to go with these challenges.”
Source: https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1966316/Erik-ten-Hag-Jose-Mourinho-Man-Utd