adminPARIS. — Fresh from giving his players a rollicking Jose Mourinho’s focus turns from Manchester United’s derby defeat to European action with a tricky Europa League opener at in-form Feyenoord tonight.
It will be the Portuguese manager’s first game in the second-tier European competition since winning its predecessor the UEFA Cup with Porto in 2003 and he says he is taking it seriously. But Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney will sit out tonight’s trip to Feyenoord.
United boss Mourinho has named a 20-man squad for their opening Europa League group game but it does not include Rooney or Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who was absent from training yesterday.
Lingard and Armenian Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s hopes of a chance to prove themselves, after being unceremoniously substituted at half-time of the Manchester derby last weekend, have been dashed as they too remain behind.
Phil Jones misses out due to injury as well, while Antonio Valencia, Luke Shaw and Jesse Lingard have also been left out of the squad.
Mourinho’s unbeaten start as United manager came to a stuttering stop on Saturday as long-time nemesis Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City left Old Trafford with a 2-1 victory.
United can expect a tough Group A opener at Feyenoord, who are top of the Dutch league having won all five of their matches this season and have pedigree in the competition. United’s Spanish attacking midfielder Juan Mata warned that after the disappointment of derby day there was “no time for mourning”.
“On Thursday we’re going to play the first game in the Europa League, away against Feyenoord, a classic in European football,” Mata said on his weekly blog.
“It’s going to be a very demanding debut in this competition,” he added of the road to the final in Stockholm next May.
Mourinho says that young attacking sensation Marcus Rashford will play after his impressive second-half cameo along with midfielder Ander Herrera on Saturday.
“He (Rashford) is going to play is the only thing I can say. I trust him completely and I know his future will be absolutely brilliant,” said the Portuguese, who was scathing of some of his players after the City defeat, particularly defender Eric Bailly.
English-Dutch clashes are always feisty affairs but United have beaten Feyenoord in both their previous meetings. — AFP.
Online Reporter