Fenerbahce vs. Manchester United Prediction, Odds, and Best Bets for Europa League Week 3

Jose Mourinho will be coaching for his job against his former club Manchester United on Thursday.

Erik ten Hag's (right) side dropped points in the Europa League. / IMAGO/Andrew Yates/Sportimage

José Mourinho a.k.a. The Special One embarked on a new challenge in the summer of 2024 when he took over as the manager of Turkish giants Fenerbahçe. After his previous two stints at Tottenham Hotspur and Roma didn’t go according to plan, Mourinho was ready for a change of scenery. 

On paper, Fenerbahçe and Mourinho were a match made in heaven. Fener hadn’t won the domestic league in ten years, finishing second sixth times in that span. They are desperately trying to get back to the glory days just like Mourinho, who modern soccer had seemingly passed by. The 61-year-old Portuguese manager was supposed to bring Fener back to relevance while reviving his own career and proving to everyone that he still had the magic touch. 

His start in Istanbul hasn’t been particularly inspiring. He is already eight points behind the leader Galatasaray in the Turkish Süper Lig and his seat has been getting warmer by the week. 

Now, Mourinho has an excellent chance to turn things around as he faces his former team Manchester United on Thursday. His departure from the club was a tumultuous one in 2018 after he constantly bickered with the management. 

Man Utd’s trajectory over the last couple of years perhaps proved Mourinho’s point. The Europa League title Mourinho won there in 2017 remains the biggest trophy the club has won since legend Sir Alex Ferguson left in 2013. 

United manager Erik Ten Hag is perhaps on an even hotter seat than Mourinho at the moment. He was able to earn some more time with a comeback win over Brentford over the weekend but he doesn’t have too much credit among the fanbase and the top brass. A disappointing loss could signal the end of the Ten Hag era in Manchester, making this a high-stakes affair in an electric atmosphere. 

Fenerbahçe vs. Manchester United Odds and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Moneyline:

Fenerbahçe: +180
Draw: +265
Manchester United: +140

Total Goals: 

Over 2.5: -150
Under 2.5: +120

Both Teams to Score:

Yes: -190
No: +150

Spread:

Fenerbahçe +0.5: -180
Man Utd +0.5: -235

Fenerbahçe vs. Manchester United How to Watch

• Date: Thursday, October 24, 2024 
• Time: 3:00 pm EST
• Venue: Ülker Stadium, İstanbul, Türkiye
• How to Watch (TV): Fubo, Paramount+, Vix Premium

Fenerbahçe vs. Manchester United Prediction and Pick

Mourinho used to live for games like this. He was the best manager in the world when it came to conjuring extra motivation from conflicts. He would use any situation where he felt he was slighted as a driving force. Knowing that all eyes will be on this match on Thursday, he will try to find that competitive edge to get one over his former club. 

Whether he still has that fastball, however, is a different question. His teams at Tottenham and Roma were less than inspiring, playing an outdated style of play that struggles against the modern pressing schemes. 

That has been the case so far in Fenerbahçe as well. Despite having world-class talent including Dusan Tadic, Fred, Edin Dzeko, Allan Saint-Maximin, and Sofyan Amrabat, he has not been able to put together a winning side. He is still too reactive of a coach despite being in charge of a team with championship aspirations, allowing the opponent to control possession while defending deep. 

On paper, allowing Man Utd to control possession could prove fruitful for Fener. United under Ten Hag has been a disaster in possession, failing to beat a high press. Their advantage is that Fener hasn’t been deploying a consistent press this season and it’s hard to imagine them doing so sustainably against a physically superior Premier League side. 

United will be without Bruno Fernandes but considering his form this season, that may be a blessing in disguise. Fenerbahçe just lost their starting left back Jayden Oosterwolde to injury. The defensive deficiencies of their full-backs have already been one of their biggest weaknesses so far this season. Losing their best full-back will only make them more vulnerable to the speed and dynamism of Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho. It would require a minor miracle for United to not score at least once on Thursday. 

Manchester United tied both of their Europa League games so far. A third one without a win would put Ten Hag on the thinnest of ices. He has enough talent on his side to avoid that fate in Istanbul. 

Pick: Manchester United +140

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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