Eight Manchester United first-team stars set to miss Fenerbahce clash as Red Devils name 20-man squad
Manchester United will be without eight key first-team players as they announced their 20-man squad for their UEFA Europa League trip to Fenerbahce on Thursday (October 24).
While captain Bruno Fernandes misses out due to suspension, the seven others are injury-enforced absentees. The 30-year-old saw red in the 3-3 draw at FC Porto on matchday two.
Apart from Fernandes, the other key absentees in the squad for the trip to Turkey are centre-back Jonny Evans, Kobbie Mainoo, Harry Maguire, Tyrell Malacia, Luke Shaw, Mason Mount and Leny Yoro.
Matthijs de Ligt and Casemiro had sustained knocks during the 2-1 Premier League home win over Brentford at the weekend. However, both players trained on Wednesday and have been included in the squad.
Malacia trained with the first team on Wednesday, while Shaw had an individual session, but both haven't been deemed fit enough to make the squad for the Fenerbahce trip. Teenage left-back Harry Amass, as well as Habeeb Ogunneye and Ethan Wheatley have been included, though.
The complete 20-man squad is as follows (as per Sportsmole):
Goalkeepers - Altay Bayindir, Tom Heaton, Andre Onana
Defenders - Harry Amass, Diogo Dalot, Matthijs de Ligt, Victor Lindelof, Lisandro Martinez, Noussair Mazraoui, Habeeb Ogunneye
Midfielders - Casemiro, Christian Eriksen, Manuel Ugarte
Forwards - Amad Diallo, Antony, Alejandro Garnacho, Rasmus Hojlund, Marcus Rashford, Ethan Wheatley, Joshua Zirkzee
The Red Devils are unbeaten in two games in the Europa League, drawing 1-1 at home to manager Erik ten Hag's former team FC Twente before holding Porto to a 3-3 stalemate on the road.
Fenerbahce vs Manchester United: A few tidbits
Manchester United and Fenerbahce have split their four previous European meetings, with each side winning twice. Their last clash was also in the UEFA Europa League, in the 2016-17 edition.
After a 4-1 win at home, the Red Devils lost 2-1 away. Current Fenerbahce boss Jose Mourinho's side, though, would go on to win the competition, beating Ajax 2-0 in the final, thanks to goals from Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitaryan either side of the break.
The Red Devils have lost on their last two trips to Fenerbahce. Apart from the aforementioned 2-1 setback, they fell 3-0 to the Turkish giants in the 2003-04 edition of the UEFA Champions League.
Worryingly for United fans, Ten Hag's side are without a European win in five games - losing three - their longest barren run in the continent since going six games winless between 1980 and 1983.