Erik ten Hag sends warning to Jose Mourinho and Fenerbahce

Erik ten Hag remains confident that his team can withstand whatever challenges José Mourinho and Fenerbahçe’s passionate fans throw at them on Thursday night.

United landed in Turkey missing 10 players due to injuries and suspensions, alongside a warning from their former manager, Mourinho, who promises that they will face a thorough test in the 47,000-capacity Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium.

The 13-time Premier League champions are not the force they once were; during Sir Alex Ferguson’s era, they were met by throngs of fervent supporters from the moment they touched down at Istanbul Airport.

Mourinho would relish the opportunity to send Ten Hag home with another crisis looming, as the United manager desperately seeks a victory in the Europa League after disappointing draws against FC Twente and Porto in their opening matches.

Ten Hag said: “We have enough players in the team who are so experienced.

“We have faced such situations more often, so I think we are looking forward (to it).

“It will be a great ambience but that is fuel for the team.

“It’s a real challenge and motivation and it’s really good for us.

“The players who are available have to do a job – and they are capable of doing the job.

“We will not underestimate them – but we also won’t overestimate them.

“We must play our own game.

“We love to play in this environment and we are really looking forward to it because every professional footballer likes these challenges.”

Erik ten Hag has chosen not to engage in a war of words with José Mourinho after the Portuguese coach claimed that Manchester United can no longer be considered an elite European side.

Mourinho, who led United to their last European success with a Europa League triumph in 2017, made the remarks in a recent interview.

Since then, United’s fortunes in Europe have dwindled, with Ten Hag’s team managing just one win in their last 10 European outings.

Erik Ten Hag said: “We have won domestic cups after he (Mourinho) left, but Man United didn’t win in Europe. So for us it’s a target and what we want to achieve – and it’s a big target for us this season.

“Of course, we have to qualify, we have to win games. It’s a new set-up and we have two games underway and two points. We know what we have to do – we have to win games.

“This season has just started and we have two draws. In the first season I think we won a lot of European games. Last season, domestically and in Europe it was a difficult journey.

“But we are confident that we can do it, to win games in the Premier League and in Europe.”

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