Tonny Vilhena powered home the victor on 79 minutes, but Nicolai Jorgensen appeared to be in an offside position as he broke down the wing before crossing to set up the only goal of the game.
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Jose Mourinho and his Manchester United have started their Europa League campaign with a loss against Feyenoord, who emerged victorious, score reading 1-0, on Thursday.
Smalling made his first start of the season in Rotterdam, replacing Daley Blind at the heart of Jose Mourinho’s defence.
“I think in the first half we did not have an especially ambitious attitude”, he told a post-match news conference. I’m not saying bad, but now with the ambition you need to win football matches.
“I always said it was a very good start but I was never on the moon”.
“They didn’t create too many chances but we didn’t do enough either to win the game”.
Wayne Rooney, Antonia Valencia and Luke Shaw may have been resting in England ahead of Sunday’s Premier League at Watford but there was still plenty of experience with Juan Mata, Ander Herrera and Chris Smalling all starting.
However, supporters were even more astonished when they realised who was actually playing in goal against Marcus Rashford and co.in the opening game of the group stages.
United’s latest reverse leaves them six points adrift of the early Premier League leaders, Pep Guardiola’s City, and puts Mourinho under immediate pressure to turn their results around.
Tonny Vilhena scored the decisive goal for the Eredivisie side in the 79th minute as Nicolai Jorgensen’s cut-back cross found the 21-year-old midfielder free in the box to slot home.
“In the Europa League, we are going to be the team everyone wants to beat”, Mourinho added.
The confidence that came from winning their first three games of the season has likely now largely disappeared among players and fans, and Mourinho admitted there is not a quick fix, per McDonnell.
“We play midday Sunday, we are professionals, let’s not make an excuse for Sunday because we have to play these games”. “So we go back to a normal team without so many changes”. It is double unlucky because it was a clear offside.
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“I know the situation is not a case of clicking your fingers and everything is flawless”, said the United manager.
