Jose Mourinho was sent off as his Fenerbahce side came from behind to condemn his old club Manchester United to a third successive Europa League draw in Istanbul.
United had led at the break through Christian Eriksen’s fourth goal of the season.
But the hosts levelled four minutes after the restart when Youssef En-Nesyri got between United defenders to head home Allan Saint-Maximin’s cross from close range.
With the noise levels rising and excitement at fever pitch, Mourinho was red carded by French referee Clement Turpin just before the hour as he led the home side’s penalty claims after Bright Osayi-Samuel went down under a challenge by United midfielder Manuel Ugarte.
Despite furious protests from the Fenerbahce bench, VAR backed up Turpin’s view there was nothing illegal about the incident and Turpin came to the technical area to tell Mourinho to leave. The Portuguese took his time but eventually relocated to the steps at the front of the stand next to the dugouts, close enough to continue to give instructions to his coaching staff.
United had their chances to win the game but substitute Rasmus Hojlund opted to go alone rather than play a pass to the better placed Alejandro Garnacho and his shot rolled harmlessly through to home goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic. Then Garnacho lost control of the ball as he ran into the area and that chance went begging too.
The visitors also failed to avoid another injury issue, as manager Erik ten Hag had hoped, as Brazilian wide-man Antony was stretchered off when he landed awkwardly after attempting an unnecessary flick by the touchline.
Jose gets the headlines again
Mourinho ended the game with the cameras focused on him, as they have been so often down the years, as he made his way back out of the stand.
TV replays showed there was nothing in the incident that triggered his protests that warranted such an over the top reaction.
Yet it has felt this was a game when he wanted to prove something to an English audience that knows him so well and there had been flashes of fury in the opening period.
He also reacted with incredulity as his side were denied three times in sensational fashion.
In the first half, he looked genuinely annoyed at En-Nesyri not taking the first opportunity when Andre Onana shoved the ball into his path right in front of an unprotected goal. But Ugarte was there in a flash and as soon as En-Nesyri made contact, the Uruguayan made the block. It was more defensive brilliance from a player about whom plenty of doubts have been expressed since his £50m move, than any failing on the Moroccan’s part.
Mourinho was left clapping the air in disbelief by Onana just before half-time.
All the hours on the training ground where a goalkeeper makes a low save then reacts immediately to make a high one paid off as the Cameroon international repelled En-Nesyri’s first effort with an instinctive stop low by his post, then turned the second over the bar as Mourinho was getting ready to celebrate.
It meant United went into the break still holding the lead Eriksen had given them when he fired home from the edge of the area after being set up by Joshua Zirkzee.
But they didn’t heed the warnings En-Nesryi’s earlier opportunities had provided and Fenerbahce deserved the draw the Moroccan’s header gave them.
Mixed night for Ten Hag
This was another of those mixed nights for Ten Hag.
Three points from three games is not the standard his side should be aiming for in this revamped competition and they remain way off the pace.
Yet, they also have their hardest two of eight first-phase games out of the way and improvement should come quickly, starting with the visit of Greek side PAOK to Old Trafford in a fortnight.
Ugarte and Onana were both excellent and the gamble of selecting full-back Noussair Mazraoui, who United said on 10 October had undergone a minor procedure after experiencing heart palpitations, in the number 10 role was a qualified success as the Moroccan worked tirelessly and played a part in the opener, providing the pass to Zirkzee.
But Antony’s injury was another problem Ten Hag could have done without on a night when he already had 10 players missing, with only suspended skipper Bruno Fernandes certain to return for Sunday’s trip to West Ham.
And Zirkzee continues to look ill at ease in his new surroundings.
The Dutch forward failed to execute two simple looking long passes that could have created promising attacking opportunities, didn’t threaten the area as a number nine and hardly offered any link up play either, even though he did claim an assist.
With the pressure on Ten Hag still huge, the £36.5m summer signing from Bologna man is not doing much to help ease it.
