Chelsea legend Didier Drogba has finally shared his prediction for today’s clash between Manchester United and Fenerbahce, stating, “Not only will they lose, but they’ll also be humiliated… I actually feel sorry for them.” This bold statement was made during his recent interview on Sky Sports.

Thursday night’s Europa League clash between Fenerbahce and Manchester United offers intriguing narratives as Matchday 3 of the league phase unfolds. One of the central storylines is Fenerbahce’s manager, Jose Mourinho, facing his former club, Manchester United, for the first time since his departure from Old Trafford in 2018.

Since then, Mourinho has managed Tottenham Hotspur and Roma, securing a Conference League title with the latter. He took over at Fenerbahce this summer following the club’s narrow miss on the Super Lig title last season. However, his new side has struggled to find form and currently sits eight points behind league leaders Galatasaray after eight games.

Manchester United’s manager, Erik ten Hag, is set to face Mourinho for the first time and aims to build on his team’s promising second-half performance in their recent 2-1 comeback victory over Brentford.

Despite some progress since their 3-0 defeat to Tottenham, United still faces significant pressure, as they currently stand winless and sit 21st in the Europa League phase table. Fenerbahce, meanwhile, occupies 13th place with four points, having won against Union Saint-Gilloise in their opening match.

Fenerbahce will be dealing with a major setback after left-back Jayden Oosterwolde suffered a season-ending ACL injury last weekend. Mourinho could fill the gap with either former United player Fred or Turkish international Murt Muldur.

The home side also features familiar names like Sofyan Amrabat, Allan Saint-Maximin, and Edin Dzeko, though injuries have sidelined several key players, including Cengiz Under, Ismail Yuksek, Bright Osayi-Samuel, and goalkeeper Irfan Can Egribayat. Additionally, Filip Kostic has not been included in Fenerbahce’s Europa League squad.

Manchester United, already without the suspended Bruno Fernandes due to a red card against Porto, faces their own injury woes. Erik ten Hag’s side is missing Mason Mount, Kobbie Mainoo, Tyrell Malacia, and Luke Shaw, with Harry Maguire also sidelined. Leny Yoro has resumed training but is not ready to return, while Noussair Mazraoui could be recalled to the starting lineup.

The match is poised to be a tightly contested affair. While United showed resilience against Brentford, Fenerbahce’s home advantage and Mourinho’s desire for a win against his former team could make it a challenging encounter.

A 2-2 draw is a likely outcome, extending United’s winless start in the competition.