Erik ten Hag responds to Jose Mourinho comments on Manchester United

Manchester United will be without ten players for their Europa League tie against Fenerbahce, with Mason Mount set to be sidelined for "a little bit longer".

Mount sustained a head injury in the 3-0 defeat to Tottenham nearly four weeks ago and it then emerged he had sustained a knock. United manager Erik ten Hag admitted the 25-year-old will be "a little bit longer, as we expected, but I think he will be back soon".

Mount, Leny Yoro (metatarsal), Tyrell Malacia (knee), Luke Shaw (calf), Harry Maguire (muscle), Jonny Evans (knock), Kobbie Mainoo (hamstring), Toby Collyer and Dan Gore are all out injured while Bruno Fernandes is suspended after his sending off against Porto three weeks ago.

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Full backs Habeeb Ogunneye and Harry Amass have been added to the squad, having both appeared in matchday squads earlier this year. United have only travelled to Istanbul with 20 players - three fewer than the maximum they are allowed for their Uefa matchday squad.

"Of course, players who are available have to do the job and they are capable," Ten Hag stressed. "I think we have enough players in the team, they are so experienced, we faced such situations more often.

"I think we're looking forward to it. It will be a great ambience, that's fuel for our team, it's a challenge, motivation, it's really good for us."

United have won one of their past ten European matches. They have scored 12 goals in their last four European away ties yet lost two 4-3 and drew the other two 3-3. Their last away victory in European competition was against Real Betis in the Europa League round-of-16 in March 2023.

Fenerbahce coach Jose Mourinho was in vintage form at his own pre-match press conference earlier on Wednesday. Ten Hag has won as many major trophies as Mourinho did at United but the Portuguese guided the club to their highest Premier League points haul in his second season in 2017-18 when they finished second on 81 points.

Mourinho spoke respectfully about his former club and Ten Hag, whom he noted is "staying season after season and that means stability, it means trust".

Ten Hag ended United's trophy drought that had strayed close to six years in 2023, with their previous triumph in the Europa League under Mourinho. "We won domestic cups after he left but Man United didn't win in Europe and it's also for us a target, what we want to achieve and we have a big opportunity this season.

"But we have the quality, we have to win games, it's a new set-up (in the Europa League), we are two games underway, we have two points, we know what we have to do and win games.

"This season we just started, we have two draws. First season, I think we won a lot of European games. Last season, obviously it was for domestic and also in Europe, was a difficult journey. But we are confident, we are confident we are capable to do this, to win games in the Premier League and in Europe.

"Mourinho and I, we won a lot of trophies the last years but you have to prove yourself every year and when you don't win we are always under criticism. We know that we are experienced enough. Professional football is about winning games and when you don't win, the criticism is coming.

"But at the end of the day, it's about how you are at the end of the year. Mourinho is so experienced, he will lead this team to its best form, he will be successful and so will we. We are convinced we are in the right direction, that we follow the right path and we will achieve what our targets are."

Fenerbahce's squad is teeming with former Premier League players and two played under Ten Hag at United. Fred and Sofyan Amrabat are set to line up in midfield at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium.

"Fenerbahce is a very good team with a lot of good players," Ten Hag added. "We know some: Fred a long time at Manchester United, very experienced, we won the Carabao Cup with him. Sofyan Amrabat: we won the FA Cup with him, very experienced, also very good in World Cup. Dusan Tadic: a long history with him at Ajax, won a lot of trophies with him.

"They have so many experienced and good players. They have an experienced coach, so this is a very good players, very good team. We will not underestimate them or overestimate them, we have to play our own game.

"We love to play in this environment, we look forward and we always look forward against good teams as a professional footballer to go with these challenges."