Fenerbahce vs Manchester United LIVE: Europa League result and ...

Jose Mourinho’s red cards are usually considered acts of deflection, but Thursday night’s probably served that purpose for Erik ten Hag. A raucous game with a lot of sub-plots offered perhaps the most entertaining shows in Europe this season, if not all for good reasons or with any real pay-off.

That’s Manchester United on the pitch, and Mourinho off it. The Portuguese failed to get proper “revenge” on his old club, but then United have now failed to maximise a lead in every single Europa League game this season. This raucous 1-1 at Fenerbahce was the third draw in three, any positives again offset by obvious flaws. Youssef En-Nesyri, who ended Ten Hag’s first United European campaign when at Sevilla in 2022-23, heere ended any sense of momentum after the win over Brentford.

There was also the theatre of Mourinho being somewhat harshly sent off for complaining about how a penalty claim was dismissed. The cuts to Ten Hag’s predecessor on a step here meant there wasn’t the same scrutiny on Ten Hag’s present problems. United can’t seem to get any form going. This was actually a regression to another issue.

Jose Mourinho was also adamant that Fenerbahce deserved to win the game and said his side had put in an “extraordinary performance”. United were rescued by an excellent display from goalkeeper Andre Onana, who Mourinho said was man of the match.

“They got a point against us, not us against them. We played amazing. If we play like this in the Turkish league we destroy everything because of course we played against a team with superior level than us. The Premier League has more quality, more intensity and more everything.

“I think my boys did an amazing match. Probably in England people will speak of two or three players for Manchester United who did not play, you do not know how many of us didn’t play. At the start we had four players out of the list, and we had injuries. We had to do a crazy puzzle. Our performance was extraordinary. I could not ask any more from the players.”

Jose Mourinho was in vintage form as he described referee Clement Turpin as the “best in the world” after he was sent off during Fenerbahce’s draw with former club Manchester United in the Europa League.

He told TNT Sports:

“I don’t want to speak about it. [After the match] the referee told me something incredible. He said at the same time he could see the action in the box and my behaviour on the touchline. I congratulate him because he is absolutely incredible. During the game, 100 miles per hour, he had one eye on the penalty situation and one eye on my behaviour on the bench.

“That is why he is the one of the best referees in the world!”

On TNT Sports, former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes says Erik ten Hag’s side are in a “terrible position” in the Europa League.

“The two results you have to say: Porto away, tough place to go, good draw. Fenerbahce away, good draw. It’s the home game that was really disappointing, the Twente game, you should be beating those teams,” he says.

United have also let a lead slip in all three of their Europa League games this season.

Smiles before kick-off. Not sure Mourinho will be so happy now. We’ll hopefully hear from both managers soon.

Strangely, very little happened in the game after Mourinho’s red card. The final half hour was poor after an entertaining contest until that point.

Is it a decent draw for United? Fenerbahce is always a tough place to go. But given the pressure already on Ten Hag, he probably needed more.

Well that sums it up! United had a free kick just inside the Fenerbahce half. Instead of aiming for the box, they take it back to Andre Onana and the referee blows for full time.

A good result for Jose Mourinho’s side. A poor one for Erik ten Hag, with United still without a win in the Europa League.

They’ve now gone six games in a row without a win in Europe for the first time since 1981.

90+4 mins: Fenerbahce have the ball down in the corner, but throw it straight out of play. One last chance for United?

90+3 mins: Eriksen’s cross is headed away and Mazraoui blazes well over from the edge.

Not long to go.

90+2 mins: Terrible challenge from Muldur on Amad, flying in and getting nowhere near the ball. That’s a clear yellow card and gives United a free kick in a good position on the corner of the box.