Manchester United
Manchester United XI looked very different the last time the Red Devils faced Fenerbahce
Here is a look into how Manchester United XI looked when they last faced Fenerbahce
Manchester United and Fenerbahce are set to clash in the Europa League group stage soon. And, it’s been a while since the two teams last faced off in Europe. The match took place on the 3rd of November, 2016 at the Ulker Fenerbahce Sukru Saracoglu Stadium, home of the Turkish club, and the Red Devils were beaten 2-1.
It was the season football transfers were beginning to involve massive money after Paul Pogba to Manchester United broke Gareth Bale’s record of joining Real Madrid. Jose Mourinho, the then-Manchester United manager orchestrated the move. And here is a look at how different the Manchester United XI looked when they last faced Fenerbahce.
Wayne Rooney was the lone attacker that night
The now-retired Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney was up front in goal, with the then-new signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic on the bench, who would later come on. This 2016/17 was the last season at Manchester United for the legendary Wayne Rooney, who left the club as their all-time top scorer (and still is). He even scored United’s consolation goal that night, after going 2-0 down initially.
It was the first year of Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial together
Anthony Martial broke out for Manchester United in 2015, and a few months later in early 2016, Marcus Rashford announced his arrival. The 2016/17 season saw the two attackers start games regularly, and it would go on until at least 2022. The Frenchman finally left the club in 2024, to AEK Athens.
Man United fielded a midfield trio of Paul Pogba, Morgan Schneiderlin and Ander Herrera
The three midfielders were signed a year apart. While Ander Herrera arrived in 2014, Schneiderlin joined in 2015 before the club broke the bank for the immaculate Paul Pogba. Schneiderlin would leave the club in 2017, and Herrera in 2019. However, Pogba had a longer career for the Red Devils, making 154 league appearances. He joined Juventus in 2022, before his career was halted due to a ban (following a prohibited substance). He is now set to return to action in early 2025.
Luke Shaw is the only star in Manchester United’s defense that night, who still plays for the club
Manchester United went with a 4-man defense, Luke Shaw, Daley Blind, Marcus Rojo and Matteo Darmian – all four were Louis van Gaal’s signings from the same window in 2014. While Blind, Rojo and Darmian never lived up to their expectations, Shaw has remained a loyal star for the club, and has still been going strong. In goal, it was David de Gea, who left the club in 2023.
Manchester United Women travel to Germany on Wednesday evening looking to maintain their perfect Champions League record against a Wolfsburg side that sits three points behind them in the League Phase standings.
Predicted Lineups
Wolfsburg Women (4-2-3-1): Johannes; Linder, Dijkstra, Kuver, Levels; Kielland, Minge; Huth, Popp, Zicai; Beerensteyn
Manchester United Women (4-3-3): Middleton-Patel; Riviere, Le Tissier, Janssen, Sandberg; Miyazawa, Zigiotti Olme, Toone; Park, Rolfo, Malard
Wolfsburg’s Fortress Mentality
Wolfsburg exploded out of the blocks in this season’s Champions League with a commanding 4-0 demolition of Paris Saint-Germain, before edging Valerenga 2-1 on matchday two. Their perfect start ended in last week’s 3-1 defeat to record European champions Lyon, though Stephan Lerch’s side bounced back with Saturday’s 3-1 DFB-Pokal victory over Freiburg.
The German side will draw belief from their impressive record against English opposition at home as they’ve avoided defeat in all seven previous Champions League matches against WSL sides at the AOK Stadion. Captain Alex Popp remains the heartbeat of Wolfsburg’s attack despite turning 34 earlier this year.
United’s European Excellence Masks Domestic Struggles
Manchester United have established themselves as one of three teams boasting perfect records at the League Phase halfway stage, alongside Barcelona and Lyon. Marc Skinner’s side started with narrow 1-0 victories over Valerenga and Atletico Madrid before claiming a crucial 2-1 triumph against PSG at Old Trafford last week.
Their European exploits have seemingly come at a domestic cost. United have lost their last two WSL matches against Aston Villa and Manchester City, with Saturday’s 3-0 derby defeat particularly painful. The loss leaves them third in the table.
Injury Concerns
Manchester United remain without Millie Turner and Celin Bizet through long-term injuries. Safia Middleton-Patel will continue in goal after Phallon Tullis-Joyce fractured her eye socket in the Aston Villa defeat earlier this month.
United currently occupy a top-four position that guarantees automatic quarter-final qualification. For Wolfsburg, victory would move them level on six points with United and strengthen their bid for a top-eight finish.
Kick-off: 8:00 PM Wednesday, November 20th, 2025
Venue: AOK Stadion, Wolfsburg
TV: DAZN (UK, Germany) | Paramount+ (USA)
Manchester United
Broken Eye Socket Sidelines Manchester United Women’s Star: Expected Healing Time and Return Date
Manchester United goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce has suffered a fractured eye socket that could sideline her for several weeks, dealing a significant blow to the Red Devils’ momentum in both domestic and European competition.
Phallon Tullis-Joyce Fractures Eye Socket
The 29-year-old sustained the injury during United’s Women’s Super League clash against Aston Villa on November 11 in an accidental impact that required immediate attention after the match.
While she escaped without a concussion, further medical assessments confirmed the fracture, forcing her to miss Wednesday’s Champions League victory over Paris Saint-Germain and Saturday’s 3-0 derby defeat to Manchester City.
Marc Skinner confirmed after the PSG match that Tullis-Joyce had experienced “a little bit of irritation” around the affected area. She was spotted on the pitch before kick-off wearing sunglasses and talking with teammates, highlighting the sensitivity to light that typically accompanies this type of injury.
Expected Recovery Timeline
Recovery timelines for a fractured eye socket typically extend several weeks, with rest and protection crucial to ensuring safe healing before a return to competition.
Despite the concerning diagnosis, Skinner struck a cautiously optimistic tone ahead of the Manchester derby. “She should be fine, it’s just trying to make sure she doesn’t get another knock in that area,” the 42-year-old coach said on Saturday.
Impact on United’s Title Push
The timing couldn’t be worse for Manchester United. Tullis-Joyce has been in arguably the best form of her career this season, establishing herself as one of the WSL’s most reliable goalkeepers since inheriting the number one spot following Mary Earps’ departure in summer 2024.
Her absence forces United to rely on backup goalkeeper Safia Middleton-Patel, who impressed in her second senior appearance against PSG but remains relatively inexperienced at this level. The 3-0 derby defeat to City, where Middleton-Patel deputised again, exposed the defensive vulnerability created by Tullis-Joyce’s absence.
United currently sit third in the WSL table with 17 points from nine matches, but their fixture list intensifies significantly over the coming weeks. Beyond Wednesday’s Champions League trip to Wolfsburg, they face a crucial run of domestic fixtures that could define their season.
Internationally, the injury also disrupts Tullis-Joyce’s upward trajectory with the USWNT. After making her senior debut in April 2025 against Brazil, she’s been a regular in Emma Hayes’ squads and had positioned herself as a genuine contender for future major tournaments. With the United States set to face Italy in a doubleheader on November 28 and December 1, her availability remains uncertain.
Manchester City
Manchester United Women Suffer Unwanted Record for the First Time in 18 Months after Lackluster Display Against Manchester City
Manchester United Women endured their most toothless attacking display in 18 months during Saturday’s 3-0 defeat to Manchester City, failing to register a single shot on target for the first time since facing Chelsea on May 18, 2024.
Despite controlling 60% of possession at the Etihad Stadium, United failed to test City goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita once across the entire 90 minutes, managing just 11 shots with none finding the target.
Defeat in the derby. pic.twitter.com/6KImmqLhTj
— Manchester United Women (@ManUtdWomen) November 15, 2025
It’s a damning indictment of Marc Skinner’s side, especially considering they came into this fixture as the only team with a perfect away record in the WSL this season. That unblemished run is now history, blown apart by Andree Jeglertz’s side who delivered three first-half goals through Rebecca Knaak, Khadija Shaw and Lauren Hemp.
Creativity Vanished When It Mattered Most
The absence of injured goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce certainly didn’t help defensively, but United’s attacking woes can’t be blamed on personnel. Jess Park started against her former club, Ella Toone was in the lineup, and Melvine Malard came off the bench. Yet none of them could fashion a single effort that genuinely troubled Yamashita.
United dominated possession but lacked any penetration in the final third. When they did manage to get shots away, it was either blocked, wayward, or hit straight at City defenders.
The worrying part is this wasn’t just a one-off. United collapsed 3-2 against Bayern Munich in the Champions League midweek despite initially leading 2-0, and now they’ve followed that up with arguably their worst attacking performance of the season.
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