UK Edition
Henrikh Mkhitaryan excluded again - Manchester United fans question Jose Mourinho's Europa League selection
Jose Mourinho made seven changes to the team that drew with Liverpool on Monday, with one omission in particular causing quite a stir among Manchester United fans.
Manchester United's £26 million signing, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, was left out of the matchday squad entirely on Thursday night, despite Jose Mourinho saying the Armenian was fit and available for the visit of Fenerbahce.
The 27-year-old has struggled with a thigh injury since arriving from Borussia Dortmund, with his one start coming in Manchester United's derby day defeat to Manchester City,
However on Wednesday evening Mourinho claimed the midfielder was fit and ready to kick-start his career against Fenerbahce.
“He was injured for quite a long time,” said Mourinho.
“Now he is not injured any more. He has been training with the team without any limitation. I cannot confirm if he plays tomorrow. Now he is fit and now it is time for him to go back to the levels we know he can achieve.”
Yet despite confirming Mkhitaryan was fit for the game, Mourinho chose to play Jesse Lingard, Juan Mata and Wayne Rooney behind Anthony Martial.
Mourinho was questioned on his decision to leave the newly-fit playmaker out of his squad during his pre-match interview.
"Fit is different to match fit. Mkhi [Henrikh Mkhitaryan] doesn't play for a long time and this match is against a team with their best players. I can't play everyone," Mourinho told BT Sport.
Mkhitaryan was pictured sitting in the Manchester United director's box as the game got under way at Old Trafford.
Mourinho's insistence that Mkhitaryan was still not fit enough to feature at Old Trafford bemused many fans who questioned why the Armenian had not been given a chance to get some game time from the bench.
Having been dropped from Manchester United's starting XI in the Premier League, Wayne Rooney was handed a recall by Jose Mourinho and made captain for the evening.
Rooney made his Manchester United debut in this fixture twelve years ago, scoring a hat-trick in a convincing Champions League win under Sir Alex Ferguson.