Mourinho was sent off as Fenerbahce Hold Manchester United in Europa League.

José Mourinho's Fenerbahce mounted a fantastic comeback in the Europa League to secure a 1-1 draw against Manchester United. The result marked United’s third consecutive draw in the competition, but the headlines will undoubtedly focus on Mourinho's dismissal as tensions reached a boiling point in Istanbul.

United started brightly and went ahead through Christian Eriksen, who netted his fourth goal of the season just before halftime. The Danish midfielder’s strike gave United a slender advantage heading into the break, and it looked like Erik ten Hag's men might finally break their Europa League stalemate streak.

Mourinho was sent off as Fenerbahce Hold Manchester United in Europa League.

But the atmosphere inside the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium shifted dramatically just minutes into the second half. Fenerbahce’s Youssef En-Nesyri rose above the United defense to nod home a pinpoint cross from Allan Saint-Maximin, sending the home crowd into a frenzy. The equalizer ignited the Turkish side, and suddenly United found themselves on the back foot.

The drama escalated further when Fenerbahce's Bright Osayi-Samuel tumbled under a challenge from United midfielder Manuel Ugarte in the penalty area. The home side erupted, calling for a penalty. Mourinho, never one to shy away from controversy, led the protests on the touchline, but French referee Clement Turpin waved away the appeals after consulting with VAR, ruling there was no foul.

Mourinho's temper flared, and within moments, Turpin approached the technical area to brandish a red card, sending the Portuguese coach to the stands. In typical Mourinho fashion, he took his time leaving, only to settle a few steps away from the dugout, close enough to continue barking instructions to his coaching staff.

Despite the chaos, United had their chances to snatch victory. Substitute Rasmus Hojlund made a critical decision to go for goal himself instead of passing to an unmarked Alejandro Garnacho, only to see his effort comfortably saved by Fenerbahce goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic. Moments later, Garnacho squandered another opportunity as he lost control of the ball inside the box.

United’s night went from bad to worse when Brazilian winger Antony was stretchered off following an awkward landing after an attempted flick. It was an unnecessary risk, and Erik ten Hag will now be sweating over yet another injury concern in a season already plagued by fitness issues.

Mourinho, who was visibly frustrated post-match, will likely face further scrutiny for his touchline behavior, but his Fenerbahce side showed resilience to hold off United's advances.

As the final whistle blew, both teams were left ruing missed opportunities. For United, it’s another frustrating result, while for Fenerbahce, the draw felt like a moral victory—particularly after their talismanic manager's dramatic exit from the touchline.

Despite the disappointment of the result, Mourinho will take heart from his team’s fightback, even if his emotions once again got the better of him on the European stage.