Why Jose Mourinho was sent off against Man Utd as Fenerbahce boss is forced to watch from the stands

The Fenerbahce manager, frustrated with a controversial decision involving former QPR player Bright Osayi-Samuel and Manual Ugarte, found himself ejected from the touchline and forced to coach from the stands. However, replays showed that Ugarte hardly made a challenge and yet the winger went down dramatically. Subsequently, the VAR upheld the referee's decision that the contact did not warrant a penalty.

Mourinho, however, had a different interpretation. He stormed out of his technical area and voiced his frustrations at the fourth official on referee Clement Turpin's decision not to award a spot-kick. His animated protests toward the fourth official continued, despite being asked to return to the technical area and his refusal to comply ultimately led Turpin to show him a red card.

Following the red card, Mourinho initially took a seat in the stands but soon moved to a stairwell where he could be seen scribbling notes. These tactical messages were relayed to his coaching staff as he continued to influence the game from afar. This isn’t the first time the Portuguese manager has been involved in such on-pitch drama. Known for his passionate and often controversial behaviour, Mourinho has a history of confrontations with officials. This latest episode saw him leave the dugout but not the action, as he worked remotely to guide his team.

United took the lead in the first half thanks to a Christian Eriksen strike, set up by young forward Joshua Zirkzee. Fenerbahce, however, responded strongly in the second half. A well-placed cross from winger Allan Saint-Maximin found the head of striker Youssef En-Nesyri, who rose above the United defenders to powerfully nod the ball into the back of the net. After settling for a draw, United will aim to return to winning ways on Sunday against West Ham in the Premier League, as pressure continues to build on under-fire manager Erik ten Hag. Meanwhile, Mourinho will be back in the dugout on the same day for a Turkish league fixture against Bodrum.