Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has called his side’s hectic October fixture as a “poisoned gift”.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic powered United through, who had struggled for the entire duration to break through the stubborn Ukrainian side.
The win, however, would help ease United, who have a packed fixture list in October, when they face Liverpool away on the Monday before their next Europa League game against Fenerbahce on Oct. 20.
That is followed by a trip to Chelsea the following Sunday then a League Cup tie against Manchester City three days later.
“Well, we could play Liverpool on the Saturday, we could play Liverpool on the Sunday, but we play Liverpool on the Monday [October 17],” Mourinho said.
“So maybe we don’t have the best conditions especially because we play against two top Premier League teams that don’t play in European competitions.
“We have this kind of poisoned gift of playing on the Monday that creates a very difficult situation, but we want to try to qualify for the next round.
“It’s a long time to go, almost a month, but we want to try so we play against Fenerbahce with a team with the possibility to beat Fenerbahce.”
United sit third in Group A after their win, a point behind leaders Fenerbahce and level with Feyenoord.
Mourinho feels there is little he can do about the fixtures, saying: “I think it’s impossible. The poisoned gift is already there.
“So what can we do? We have to just play on Monday and then Thursday and then Stamford Bridge on the Sunday.
“But before that we have Stoke, so let us concentrate on Stoke.”
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