Fenerbahce vs. Manchester United: Prediction, Preview & Betting Tips

Both of these sides are in similar predicaments and have been similarly underwhelming so far, so an even game looks firmly on the cards.

Both teams to score has occurred in three of both sides' last five games, so we fancy both teams to register on the scoresheet here.

Erik ten Hag's side have drawn four of their last six outings, and we think they could be on course for another one here. Fenerbahçe 2-2 Manchester United.

This Thursday’s Europa League clash between Fenerbahçe and Manchester United could serve up an entertaining showing, with both sides coming into the game in fairly similar positions.

• Date: 24/10/2024
• Kick-off time: 20:00
• Location: Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, Istanbul

Fenerbahçe, currently 13th in the Europa League table with four points, have experienced a somewhat turbulent start to the season under José Mourinho. The Turkish giants had high hopes when they appointed the Portuguese man over the summer, but his short tenure has ths far left a number of questions. Mourinho, renowned for his ability to secure European silverware, has been brought in with the explicit goal of guiding Fenerbahçe to success in continental competition, but early struggles have seen that ambition placed in doubt, particularly after their disappointing exit in the Champions League qualifying rounds at the hands of Lille.

The defeat to Lille, a team Mourinho would likely have fancied his side to overcome, came as a significant blow to a club of Fenerbahçe’s stature, as competing in the Champions League is seen as both a financial and sporting necessity, and their failure to secure a place in the competition has placed additional pressure on Mourinho. That defeat also heightened expectations around their Europa League campaign, and given Mourinho’s history in the competition, the Turkish club will expect nothing less than a deep run to compensate for their absence from the Champions League.

Domestically, Fenerbahçe’s form has been inconsistent, with the Istanbul-based side currently sitting 4th in the Süper Lig table, a position that is far from disastrous at this stage of the season but one that will not be deemed acceptable if it remains unchanged come the end of the campaign.

Fenerbahçe’s squad is built around seasoned campaigners, with 38-year-old striker Edin Džeko continuing to be a key figure. Despite his advancing years, Džeko remains a talisman for the team having scored five goals so far this season, and the Bosnian’s physical presence and predatory instincts in front of goal remain evergreen. Alongside him, Dušan Tadić has also been a standout performer, with the Serbian playmaker, who has four goals and two assists to his name this season, providing creativity and guile in the final third.

Mourinho’s personal connection to this match add an intriguing subplot, as the Portuguese manager’s previous spell at Manchester United, where he won the Europa League in 2017, will no doubt strengthen his desire to win - if that ever needed strengthening. His relationship with the club was complicated, and it seems as though the two parties did not part ways in the best circumstances.

Manchester United, for their part, have endured an equally difficult start to the season, and their position in the Europa League table—21st, with just three points—is a reflection of their wider struggles across all competitions. While Erik ten Hag’s team have shown flashes of quality, they have been far too inconsistent, showing defensive frailties, poor decision-making, and an overall lack of cohesion that has marred much of their campaign, leaving the Dutch manager under significant pressure to turn things around quickly.

United’s erratic form has placed Ten Hag’s future under intense scrutiny, with reports suggesting that his job may be in jeopardy. However, the Dutchman seems to perpetually manage to secure just enough positive results to keep himself in the role, despite all the clear red flags that have been in place for over a year now. It's clear that the underlying issues within the team remain unresolved, with the team continually making the same mistakes, and it's hard to imagine any sort of sustained improvement taking place.

A deep run in this competition is seen as non-negotiable for United, especially given their recent history in European tournaments. Since winning the Europa League in 2017 under Mourinho, United have had a very barren run in Europe, and a club of their stature will not feel such exploits are at all acceptable.

On top of that, this competition is a potential route back to the Champions League, with direct qualification via a top four finish in the Premier League looking very uncertain.

This game will be televised live to subscribed UK viewers on TNT Sports 2.

Fenerbahçe Team News:

Fenerbahçe will be without defenders Bright Osayi-Samuel and Çağlar Söyüncü, with both men out through injury.

İrfan Can Eğribayat and İsmail Yüksek are also expected to miss out through fitness issues, so the Turkish side could line up unchanged from the weekend.

Predicted lineup: Livaković; Müldür, Djiku, Becão, Oosterwolde; Fred, Amrabat; Tadić, Szymanski, Saint-Maximin; Džeko.

Manchester United Team News:

The Red Devils will likely once again be without Kobbie Mainoo, who is set to miss a few more weeks with a muscle injury.

Harry Maguire, Leny Yoro and Luke Shaw will also continue to miss out for Ten Hag's side.

Predicted lineup: Onana; Dalot, De Ligt, Martínez, Mazraoui; Eriksen, Ugarte; Diallo, Fernandes, Rashford; Zirkzee.

Fenerbahçe's form is solid, with José Mourinho's men having won three, drawn one and lost one of their last five games. The Turkish outfit drew their most recent game with Dutch side FC Twente in the Europa League, with Dušan Tadić grabbing the goal.

Prior to that, the Istanbul-based side won successive games against Antalyaspor (2-0) and Union Saint-Gilloise (2-1), a pair of results that followed a 1-3 hammering at the hands of bitter rivals Galatasaray and a 2-0 win over Kasımpaşa.

On the whole, United's form is poor, with Ten Hag's men having won only one of their last five outings. Their most recent game saw them pick up a 2-1 win over Brentford, where after a shoddy first-half performance they upped their game in the second 45 and turned around a 0-1 deficit through goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Højlund.

Prior to that came a 0-0 draw with Aston Villa and a 3-3 draw with Porto, which came after a 0-3 loss against Tottenham Hotspur and a 1-1 draw with FC Twente.

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