On Thursday night, Fenerbahce and Manchester United go head-to-head in a thrilling Europa League match, and there are plenty of narratives to watch out for. Former Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho, now at the helm of Fenerbahce, will face his old club for the first time since his departure from Old Trafford in 2018. Mourinho has had a mixed start with Fenerbahce, who are currently 13th in the Turkish Super League and eight points behind leaders Galatasaray.
Erik ten Hag‘s Manchester United are also under pressure, having not won any of their last four European away games despite scoring three goals in each of those matches. The Red Devils are 21st in the Europa League group phase table and desperately need a win to build momentum. Their last European outing ended in a 3-3 draw against Porto, where Bruno Fernandes picked up a suspension, ruling him out of this match.
Fenerbahce have several key players missing due to injury, including Jayden Oosterwolde, Cengiz Under, Ismail Yuksek, Bright Osayi-Samuel, and Irfan Can Egribayat. However, they boast a strong lineup with former Premier League stars like Allan Saint-Maximin, Edin Dzeko, and Sofyan Amrabat. Fred, a former United midfielder, could fill in for the injured Oosterwolde.
Manchester United are dealing with their own injury woes, with Mason Mount, Harry Maguire, Kobbie Mainoo, Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia, and Leny Yoro all out. Casemiro is also a doubt after picking up a muscle injury against Brentford. Despite these challenges, United are expected to field a strong lineup, with Noussair Mazraoui potentially returning to the starting XI.
Predictions suggest a closely contested match with goals expected from both sides. Given the inconsistent defensive performances of both teams, a 2-2 draw is a likely outcome. This would see both teams sharing the spoils, reflecting their current form and the absence of key players.
