jisunjangs

Manchester United is facing a challenging period, compounded by an injury to their high-profile forward, Antony (24). On October 25 (KST), United played to a 1-1 draw against Fenerbahçe at the Ulker Fenerbahçe Sukru Saracoglu Stadium in Istanbul in their third match of the 2024-2025 UEFA Europa League (UEL) group stage. This result marks United’s third draw in the competition, leaving them with just 3 points and placing them at 21st. Fenerbahçe, with 1 win and 2 draws (5 points), sits in 14th place. For United, this was a must-win match to improve their UEL standings and compete against former manager José Mourinho, who managed United from 2016 to 2018 and now leads Fenerbahçe. However, United fell short of victory. Tensions rose in the second half when Mourinho received a red card in the 57th minute after a heated exchange with the referee over a contentious decision. United dominated possession with 12 shots to Fenerbahçe’s 10 but struggled to capitalize on scoring opportunities. Christian Eriksen gave United the lead in the 15th minute with a well-placed shot, but their defensive concentration lapsed in the second half, allowing Yusuf En-Nesyri to equalize in the 49th minute. The draw was compounded by an injury to Brazilian forward Antony, who was subbed in at the 73rd minute only to be forced off due to injury by the 89th minute. Antony initially signaled he could continue, but shortly afterward requested a substitution, leaving the field after just 16 minutes of play. Antony joined United in 2022 for a transfer fee of £85 million (about $1.5 billion) but has faced criticism for inconsistent performances, primarily coming off the bench this season. His absence further strains United's offensive depth, which has already struggled, scoring just 7 goals in 8 league games, ranking them fourth-lowest in scoring this season.