Man Utd predicted lineup vs Fenerbahce - Europa League
- Erik ten Hag faces up against Jose Mourinho for the very first time
- United are without the suspended Bruno Fernandes
- Leny Yoro back in training but some way off a return
There's been a semblance of stability within Erik ten Hag's ranks after his Manchester United side embarrassingly succumbed at home to Tottenham at the end of September.
The Red Devils have picked up two draws and a victory since that 3-0 defeat, with the Dutch manager buying himself more time thanks to their recent uptick.
Thursday's bout is another big one for Ten Hag, who faces up against Jose Mourinho for the very first time. Mourinho departed United in 2018 and will be desperate to score a victory over his former employers all while boosting his already sky-high standing in Istanbul.
Here's the team Ten Hag could pick to face Fenerbahce on Matchday 3 of the Europa League on Thursday night.
Man Utd predicted lineup vs Fenerbahce (4-2-3-1)
GK: Andre Onana - The United goalkeeper is having a pretty good season, although clean sheets have been hard to come by. Onana conceded three on his previous Europa League outing.
RB: Noussair Mazraoui - The full-back's heart condition is not too serious and he was able to come off the bench at the weekend. Mazraoui has been a mainstay in Ten Hag's XI since joining the club and he should return to the team on Thursday.
CB: Matthijs de Ligt - De Ligt's best Terry Butcher impersonation got United into trouble at the weekend as they conceded while he was receiving treatment for a nasty head gash. The Dutchman has not been dealing with a concussion in the aftermath, so he's available for the trip to Fenerbahce.
CB: Lisandro Martinez - Stability is pivotal at the heart of defence, with De Ligt likely to partner Martinez again. The pair did struggle to cope with Samu Omorodion on their last Europa League outing, and they'll have to mitigate the threat of wily old fox Edin Dzeko in Istanbul.
LB: Diogo Dalot - Ten Hag does have versatility at full-back with both Mazraoui and Dalot adept off either side. The Portuguese international has not enjoyed the best of starts to the new season, but he's a player the manager values and he performs a key tactical role.
CM: Manuel Ugarte - Yet to convince in United colours, but it is early doors for Ugarte. He hasn't been fancied by Ten Hag as of late, but midfield unavailabilities mean he should return to the XI for this game.
CM: Casemiro - If Casemiro could just produce what he did against Brentford even 75% of the time this season, United might be okay.
RM: Marcus Rashford - There was no touchline hugging for Rashford at the weekend, with Ten Hag wanting the English attacker, who's now aiming to impress Thomas Tuchel, to drift infield and have an impact from more central positions.
AM: Christian Eriksen - An argument could be made for Eriksen being United's standout performer this season. We're all for the maestro's resurgence, and he'll be creator-in-chief on Thursday with Bruno Fernandes suspended.
LM: Alejandro Garnacho - The Argentinian live wire has been a man United have turned to at their lowest for a source of inspiration, and his energy is critical down the left flank. He heads into Thursday's game having scored at the weekend.
ST: Rasmus Hojlund - Against Brentford, Hojlund produced his best performance in a United shirt since his debut season purple patch drew to a close. The Danish forward netted the winner in a 2-1 victory, and he should get the chance to build on the momentum gained from Saturday.