Manchester United must avoid Jose Mourinho's trap in next Erik ten Hag setback

Erik ten Hag will be wary of the headlines if Manchester United fail to win at Fenerbache on Thursday night.

The Reds have failed to win either of their Europa League fixtures so far this season and are under pressure to change that against Jose Mourinho's latest team. Thanks to the changes made to the format by Uefa, United should still qualify for the next stage, but it won't reflect well on Ten Hag if they stumble through.

To make matters worse, Mourinho is the manager United will want to face least when looking for a much-needed win. They know all too well how fired up the Portuguese can be when facing a former club.

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Mourinho is at his best when he has a point to prove. In his first season at Old Trafford in 2016/17, his former club, Chelsea, visited M16 when chasing a Premier League title under Antonio Conte.

United stifled the Blues, with Ander Herrera, in particular, playing a key role by man-marking an in-form Eden Hazard. The champions-elect were left frustrated in a 2-0 defeat.

United had a taste of their own medicine several years later when Mourinho's Tottenham came to Manchester in October 2020 and earned a famous 6-1 win behind closed doors during the Coronavirus pandemic. That was more of a demolition, which Mourinho seemed to take great pleasure in.

Going further back, Mourinho's Inter Milan team went to Stamford Bridge and completed a professional job to knock Chelsea out of the Champions League in March 2010. Of course, Mourinho is a very different manager now, and it's a reflection of how his career