Manchester United will travel to Turkey to face their former manager Jose Mourinho’s side Fenerbahce in their third League Stage match of the 2024/25 Europa League season.
FEN vs MUN Match Details
Date: Thursday, 24 October 2024 / Friday, 25 October 2024
Time: 21:00 (CET), 00:30 (IST)
Venue: Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, Fenerbahce
FEN vs MUN Match Preview
Since taking the job in the summer, Jose Mourinho has helped Fenerbahce collect 17 points from eight games in the Turkish league with five wins. However, the team remains eight points behind leaders Galatasaray in fourth. The 2-2 draw against third-place Samsunspor this weekend brought more frustration as the team now prepares for a sizable task on the European front. The Portuguese's appointment showed the intent to win trophies so the side will be desperate to up their tempo. The team has not lost in their last four matches which will be a positive thing to carry as they face Mourinho’s ex-club Manchester United in the third game of the Europa League League Phase after a 2-1 win over Union SG and a 1-1 draw against FC Twente. Like in every club he has managed, the ‘Special One’ had a chaotic time in charge of the Red Devils initially bringing trophies and then losing track altogether. One of the disappointing results he suffered in his managerial career was against his present side in the same competition in 2016, a 2-1 loss in the group stage. Mourinho will now want to repeat something similar to remind his former colleague about a thing or two.
With his job under pressure, Erik ten Hag was relieved to see his side registering a 2-1 comeback win over Brentford with Ethan Pinnock's late first-half header canceled by Alejandro Garnacho just seconds after the break before Rasmus Hojlund chipped in his first Premier League goal of the season for the winner. This victory ended a five-game winless run in all competitions but the record Premier League winners stayed 12th on the table and six points away from the top-four. However, it is a welcoming result for the Red Devils before the Europa League clash against Fenerbahce as they look to break the trend of dropping points in the competition after a 1-1 result against FC Twente and a 3-3 thriller with FC Porto. Manchester United have a worrisome European record having only won one of their last 10 matches enduring their longest winless streak since 1980. This is a troubling form they would be desperate to change, otherwise facing humiliation against their former coach will descend them further in the 36-league table. The Yellow Canaries also carry a seven-game unbeaten run at home in the Europa League making the hosts a tough opponent to break although Mourinho has won just two of the 17 clashes against sides he has previously managed.
FEN vs MUN Recent Form (all competitions)
FEN: LWWDD
MUN: DLDDW
FEN vs MUN Recent Form (Europa League 2024-25)
FEN: WD
MUN: DD
FEN vs MUN Predicted Lineups
Fenerbahce
Livakovic; Djiku, Soyuncu, Becao, Muldur; Amrabat, Fred; Tadic, Szymanski, Saint-Maximin; Dzeko
Manchester United
Onana; Mazraoui, De Ligt, Martinez, Dalot; Ugarte, Casemiro; Garnacho, Eriksen, Rashford; Hojlund
FEN vs MUN Dream11 Top picks
Captain Pick: Christian Eriksen
Vice-captain Pick: Alejandro Garnacho, Edin Dzeko
FEN vs MUN Dream11 Team Suggestion
GK: Livakovic (Cr - 7.5)
DEF: Dalot (Cr - 8), Soyuncu (Cr - 8.5), Muldur (Cr - 8.5)
MID: Garnacho (Cr - 9), Eriksen (Cr - 8), Tadic (Cr - 9), Saint-Maximin (Cr - 7.5)
FW: Hojlund (Cr - 7.5), Dzeko (Cr - 9), Rashford (Cr - 8.5)
Vice-captain: Alejandro Garnacho
Captain: Christian Eriksen
Fenerbahce vs Manchester United Match Prediction
Manchester United and Fenerbahce are likely to play out a draw with both sides lacking the capability of winning games. We predict a thrilling 2-2 draw in this Mourinho derby.
