Erik ten Hag fires warning to Jose Mourinho after ex-Man Utd chief's subtle dig

Manchester United manager Erik 10 Hag has insisted that his depleted squad person thing to fearfulness erstwhile they fastener horns with ex-boss Jose Mourinho and Fenerbahce successful the Europa League

There was nary invited to hellhole erstwhile Manchester United arrived successful Istanbul - but Erik 10 Hag insists his squad tin grip thing that Jose Mourinho and Fenerbahce’s fanatical fans tin deed them with connected Thursday night.

United landed successful Turkey without 10 players done wounded and suspension - and a committedness from their erstwhile brag Mourinho that they volition beryllium tested to the afloat successful the 47,000-capacity Sukru Saracoglu Stadium.

The 13-time Premier League champions are nary longer the unit they were. Under Sir Alex Ferguson they utilized to beryllium greeted by thousands of baying supporters from the infinitesimal they touched down astatine the Istanbul airport.

But Mourinho would emotion thing much than to nonstop Ten Hag location facing different crisis, with the United brag successful hopeless request of a Europa League triumph aft opening the run with disappointing draws against FC Twente and Porto.

Ten Hag said: “We person capable players successful the squad who are truthful experienced. We person faced specified situations much often, truthful I deliberation we are looking guardant (to it).

“It volition beryllium a large ambience but that is substance for the team. It’s a existent situation and information and it’s truly bully for us. The players who are disposable person to bash a occupation - and they are susceptible of doing the job.

“We volition not underestimate them - but we besides won’t overestimate them. We indispensable play our ain game. We emotion to play successful this situation and we are truly looking guardant to it due to the fact that each nonrecreational footballer likes these challenges.”

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Ten Hag refused to beryllium drawn into a warfare of words with Mourinho aft the Special One declared that his erstwhile squad could nary longer beryllium regarded arsenic an elite European Cup side. The Portuguese guided United to a Europa League triumph successful 2017 - the club’s past occurrence successful Europe. But Ten Hag’s squad person won conscionable 1 batch their past 10 European games.

Ten Hag said: “We person won home cups aft helium (Mourinho) left, but Man United didn’t triumph successful Europe. So for america it’s a people and what we privation to execute - and it’s a large people for america this season.

“Of course, we person to qualify, we person to triumph games. It’s a caller set-up and we person 2 games underway and 2 points. We cognize what we person to bash - we person to triumph games.

“This play has conscionable started and we person 2 draws. In the archetypal play I deliberation we won a batch of European games. Last season, domestically and successful Europe it was a hard journey.

“But we are assured that we tin bash it, to triumph games successful the Premier League and successful Europe.”

He added: “Both Mourinho and I person won a batch of trophies successful the past years, but you person to beryllium yourself each twelvemonth - and erstwhile you don’t triumph past determination is ever criticism.

“We cognize that and we are experienced enough. Professional shot is astir winning games - and erstwhile you don’t triumph games past disapproval is coming.

“But astatine the extremity of the day, it’s astir however you are astatine the extremity of the year. Mourinho is truthful experienced helium volition pb his squad to their champion form.

“We are convinced that we are going successful the close direction, that we are pursuing the close path, and we volition execute what our targets are.”

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