Fenerbahce 2-1 Manchester United: Europa League as it happened

That is it for this particular live blog, but stay tuned to IBTimes UK for all the post-match reaction from Istanbul including an update on the fitness of Paul Pogba.

Goodbye for now.

They had to work hard for it at the end there, but a memorable result for Fenerbahce who jump to the top of Group A. They are level on points with Feyenoord.

United now find themselves third and, despite dominating possession and reducing the deficit with an impressive late goal from Rooney, can have few complaints after a painfully average display featuring just one shot on target.

Their wretched winless away run in Europe now stands at seven matches. Feyenoord being held to a 1-1 draw against Zorya tonight is a positive, but the onus is now on Mourinho's side to win both of their remaining games and avoid an embarrassing early exit.

Full-time

Fenerbahce 2-1 Manchester United

Volkan Demirel requires treatment here and that will offer United a couple of extra minutes to find a second goal.

It's all over at the Petrovsky Stadium, where Dundalk have gone down 2-1 to Zenit in Group D.

Sener Ozbayrakli concedes a corner and Rooney's header is then cleared off the line by Ismail.

United keep up the pressure and appeal vociferously for a penalty after Herrera's hopeful drive appears to strike the hand of Skrtel. Nothing given.

Four minutes of stoppage time for United to find an equaliser.

He's had his fair share of critics over recent months, but that is a fabulous goal from Rooney. He picks up possession 30 yards out and beats Volkan Demirel all ends up with a right-footed rocket.

Can United rally late on to claim an unlikely point in Istanbul?

Goal: Fenerbahce 2-1 Manchester United (Wayne Rooney)

Sener Ozbayrakli is booked for handball. Advocaat's final sub sees left-back Ismail Koybasi replace Sow.

The Senegalese striker, who is back at Fenerbahce on loan from Dubai club Al-Ahli, won't forget that stunning goal in a hurry.

Van Persie gets the night off against his former side.

Alper is withdrawn and replaced by Russian midfielder Roman Neustadter. Less than 10 minutes left now for United to salvage something from this game.

Again United are opened up with embarrassing ease. Lens gets close to the byline and fires a low ball across the six-yard box that is just too hard for Emenike to finish on the slide.

Mkhitaryan concedes possession in midfield with a sloppy pass. Emenike seizes on the loose ball and cuts across Blind before producing a powerful shot that is parried by De Gea.

If the Armenian is seeking to get back in Mourinho's good books, that is definitely the wrong way to go about it.

Dundalk have fallen behind for a second time in Russia. Giuliano strikes again with his fifth Europa League goal already this term.

Ibrahimovic outfoxes Skrtel with an impressive touch and the former Liverpool defender is cautioned for a poor sliding tackle.

Mata also picks up a yellow card for stopping Alper in his tracks as the Turkish winger tried to break down the touchline.

United continue to look sluggish moving forward and are very fortunate not to be further behind.

After their latest attack breaks down, Fenerbahce counter and Alper splits the defence with a cross from the right.

Emenike opts not to provide a first-time finish and Blind just gets a touch on the ball before De Gea makes a low save with his legs.

Advocaat now opts to utilise his bench for the first time. Volkan Sen is replaced by former West Ham loanee Emmanuel Emenike.

Blind's corner from the right sails straight into the arms of a grateful Volkan Demirel.

Mourinho reacts to that second goal by making his third and final change. Mkhitaryan replaces Rashford for a first appearance since being taken off at half-time during a 2-1 derby defeat to Manchester City on 10 September.

Disaster for United as Fenerbahce double their lead. Mehmet Topal tumbles under pressure from Ibrahmovic.

Lens, on a season-long loan from Sunderland, then steps up to bend a terrific free-kick over the wall and into the back of the net with De Gea left stranded.

It's another unstoppable finish.

Goal: Fenerbahce 2-0 Manchester United (Jeremain Lens)

Almost a clear chance for Mata as he fizzes a low shot wide of Volkan Demirel's left-hand post.

Rooney gets a head to Martial's centre, but his flick-on just evades Ibrahimovic at the back post.

Alper has been cautioned for preventing United from taking a quick free-kick.

United's latest attack comes to nothing as Darmian is penalised for barging into Volkan Sen.

Fenerbahce are proving a tough nut to crack, even for a now extremely attacking United lineup.

Dundalk have equalised against Zenit through winger Daryl Horgan.

Ibrahimovic yelps in pain after having his foot trodden on by Skrtel. He'll be OK to continue.

The second half is upon us. Mourinho has made another substitution at the break, with Schneiderlin replaced by Mata. A clear statement of attacking intent.

A massively frustrating opening 45 minutes for United, who still trail courtesy of that early Sow wonder goal. Mourinho's side have struggled to carve out many opportunities of their own and Fenerbahce are mostly content to let them monopolise possession and then spring forward on the counter.

This game, played amid a typically charged atmosphere, is also becoming increasingly tempestuous and Ibrahimovic probably should have been punished for that clash with Kjaer. The visitors will have to manage their emotions better after the interval.

Half-time

Fenerbahce 1-0 Manchester United

Zorya have equalised against Feyenoord in Ukraine. Rafael Forster from the penalty spot after Eric Botteghin is dismissed.

Three minutes of added time have been signalled by the fourth official.

Sow peels off the back of Blind but can only guide Alper's superb curling cross over the bar.

Tensions are running high in Istanbul and handbags again ensue after Souza is caught late by Rooney.

Fenerbahce captain Volkan Demirel ends up receiving a caution for his role in the fracas.

There has been a goal in Saint Petersburg, where Irish champions Dundalk trail Zenit 1-0 courtesy of an effort from Brazilian midfielder Giuliano.

Lens looks to wreak havoc for Fenerbahce before Rooney is floored by a bad challenge from Alper, who is lucky to avoid a yellow card.

Tempers then flare as Ibrahimovic clashes with Kjaer. The feisty Swede looked to grab his rival by the neck. Naughty.

United have begun to turn the screw a little since the arrival of Ibrahimovic. Simon Kjaer makes an important block to thwart Rooney.

Great reflexes from Volkan Demirel as he gets down low to prevent Rashford's low cross from reaching Ibrahimovic. That would have been a tap-in for the substitute.

United almost get caught on the counter-attack as Daley Blind loses possession in a tackle. The ball is eventually stood up to Lens at the back post, but he fails to make contact with an acrobatic effort.

Mourinho sends on Ibrahimovic in place of the injured Pogba. What a blow that is for the visitors.

Pogba is still struggling here and will not be able to continue. He limps off before a United corner.

Pogba is still moving around gingerly as he appears to be nursing a dead leg.

Fenerbahce winger Volkan Sen will have to leave the field for treatment after coming off worse from an aerial challenge with Matteo Darmian.

Pogba looks to be limping somewhat after a challenge just outside the Fenerbahce box.

At the other end, Lens nods an inviting cross just wide.

Dreadful from Rooney as he stays onside and is picked out by a fine through ball from Martial but takes a heavy first touch that allows Skrtel to clear.

If anyone has been left in any doubt as to the quality of that opener from Sow, it is worth noting that the phrase 'WHAT A GOAL' is still trending on Twitter 20 minutes later....

Herrera joins Schneiderlin in the referee's notebook after diving in on the clever Souza in midfield.

The deadlock has been broken in tonight's other game from Group A...

Lens proceeds to send in a dangerous free-kick that is headed over by an unmarked Mehmet Topal at the back post.

Lens appeals for a penalty after being chopped down by a mistimed sliding challenge from Schneiderlin. The referee points for a free-kick and produces the game's first yellow card.

Sow gets up at the front post to emphatically clear United's first corner of the evening.

Having taken an early lead, Fenerbahce look content to sit back and let the visitors dominate possession.

Marcus Rashford drives a low shot well wide.

Deafening whistles from an excited home crowd as United search for a quick response.

What an unbelievable start from Fenerbahce, who take the lead with just over a minute on the clock.

Josef de Souza's cross from the left-hand side is dispatched past a stunned David De Gea via an absolutely stunning overhead kick from Sow on the edge of the penalty area.

A ridiculous finish. You will be seeing that goal for some time to come.

Goal: Fenerbahce 1-0 Manchester United (Moussa Sow)

Serbian referee Milorad Mazic gets us underway. The home supporters are being as noisy as you would expect, despite the presence of approximately 10,000 empty seats.

United, wearing red shirts with black shorts and socks, will kick from right to left in this first half.

We are now just five minutes away from kick-off. The atmosphere is certainly building in Istanbul.

One final score from the Europa League already tonight....

Mourinho has always been fairly dismissive of Europe's secondary club competition despite winning it with FC Porto back in 2004, but now he admits to having experienced something of a change of heart.

My opinion changed because the rules changed and the Europa League - the winner has a direct [path] to the Champions League.

In the last couple of years the Europa League for the big clubs has a different meaning. It's another way to qualify for the Champions League.

So what is the current state of play in Group A?

United are level on points with leaders Feyenoord and boast a better goal difference than the Eredivisie leaders, but sit second on head-to-head following their insipid 1-0 defeat in Rotterdam.

Fenerbahce, meanwhile, lie third after taking four points from their opening three matches. Ukrainian minnows Zorya Luhansk are bottom having yet to win a game in the Europa League.

As usual, tonight's 24 Europa League group matches are spread out over the course of the evening.

Here is a reminder of the full schedule:

Mourinho is unlikely to be in the best of moods tonight after being handed a one-match touchline ban and a fine totalling £58,000 by the FA yesterday.

The outspoken Portuguese was sent to the stands by referee Mark Clattenburg during that frustrating stalemate against Burnley and will once again be absent from the dugout at the Liberty Stadium on Sunday.

£8,000 of that fine was for his behaviour at the weekend, while the other £50,000 was for comments made about referee Anthony Taylor prior to the north-west derby trip to Liverpool last month.

Bastian Schweinsteiger returned to first-team United training this week after being completely ostracised since returning from Euro 2016 duty in the summer, but is ineligible to play in the Europa League having been omitted from Mourinho's 27-man squad for the group stages.

Addressing that comeback during his pre-Fenerbahce press conference on Wednesday night, Mourinho said:

Schweinsteiger is back. It was based on the fact we are in this time of the season where it is hard to train with all the players. So to do the tactical sessions I want to do you need a certain number of players, but the group shrinks when people are injured or recovering, many times we go to the Academy to bring young boys to have a group of the perfect numbers to train.

Looking at Bastian and the way he was working professionally with the fitness coach, we think that it is a human and professional decision to bring him back to the team, and he will be much better prepared in case his future decision is to leave the club. If he stays with us he becomes one more option. In this moment we have no problems in midfield like we do in defence, but if we do he is one more option.

The big news from Fenerbahce's perspective is that Van Persie begins tonight's contest on the bench. Moussa Sow starts up front instead, with Alper Potuk also replacing Aatif Chahechouhe following Sunday's 5-0 thrashing of Karabukspor.

Former Liverpool stalwart Martin Skrtel and Sunderland loanee Jeremain Lens should be familiar faces to fans of English football.

Fenerbahce XI: Volkan Demirel, Sener, Kjaer, Skrtel, Hasan Ali, Topal, Josef, Alper, Lens, Volkan Sen, Sow

Subs: Fabiano, Neustadter, Koybasi, Ucan, Stoch, Emenike, Van Persie

The lesser-spotted Mkhitaryan and Jones are both included among tonight's substitutes in Istanbul.

Lingard, third-choice 'keeper Sam Johnstone and Fosu-Mensah are the travelling squad members to miss out.

Mourinho makes three changes from the side that were held to a goalless draw by newly-promoted Burnley on Saturday due to a combination of hopelessly profligate finishing and a truly outstanding performance from former United goalkeeper Tom Heaton, with Morgan Schneiderlin and Anthony Martial replacing Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata.

Wayne Rooney, scorer of a memorable hat-trick on his Champions League debut against Fenerbahce in a 6-2 win 12 years ago, returns to captain the side. Zlatan Ibrahimovic makes way.

Manchester United XI: De Gea, Darmian, Blind, Rojo, Shaw, Scheniderlin, Ander Herrera, Pogba, Rashford, Martial, Rooney

Subs: Romero, Jones, Fellaini, Mata, Young, Mkhitaryan, Ibrahimovic

The teamsheet is in...

Eric Bailly remains sidelined tonight with a knee injury sustained during the humiliating 4-0 defeat at Chelsea, while centre-back partner Chris Smalling has a foot problem. Antonio Valencia is also expected to be out for "a while" after undergoing surgery on a fractured arm.

Mourinho's only other absentee is young striker James Wilson, who recently cut short a season-long loan stint at Derby County after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in training.

We await the official team news for tonight's clash, with United fans presumably intrigued to see if Henrikh Mkhitaryan is set to play any part. The summer signing has flown to Turkey as part of Mourinho's 21-man squad after a bizarre six-game absence that followed a recurring thigh problem.

Phil Jones has also travelled after a long-term ankle setback was followed by a medial knee ligament injury. The injury-plagued defender has not made a single competitive appearance since January.

Anthony Martial, who was today omitted from Didier Deschamps' France squad for forthcoming matches against Sweden and the Ivory Coast, is back in contention after missing United's last two matches with an inflamed foot. Timothy Fosu-Mensah will also hope to feature, but Memphis Depay has been left out completely.

Michael Carrick too remains at home, but that is likely because he is in the frame to deputise for the suspended Ander Herrera during Sunday's trip to Swansea.

Good evening and welcome to IBTimes UK's live coverage of Europa League matchday four.

Southampton entertain a troubled Inter Milan side that this week ditched manager Frank de Boer after just 85 days in charge at St Mary's later on, but first our attentions will be firmly fixed on the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium in the Turkish city of Istanbul where Manchester United travel to take on Super Lig giants Fenerbahce.

These Group A rivals last met two weeks ago, when Paul Pogba notched twice, Anthony Martial scored from the spot and Jesse Lingard also netted in a thumping 4-1 win for Jose Mourinho's men. Robin van Persie, back at Old Trafford for the first time since being sold by Louis van Gaal last summer, received a standing ovation from the home crowd after grabbing a late consolation goal.