Istanbul: Jose Mourinho accused his Manchester United side of playing with the intensity of a summer friendly as their season suffered another setback with a 2-1 Europa League defeat at Fenerbahce on Thursday.


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United have gone four Premier League games without a victory and now face a battle to reach the knockout stages of Europe`s second-tier competition after stunning goals by Moussa Sow and Jeremain Lens inflicted a second defeat in four Group A games.


Manager Mourinho would be forgiven for wanting to turn the clock back a few months given their recent poor form but he was seething after his team began the game in Turkey like a pre-season warmup.


"Our problems started in our global attitude. They were playing the Champions League final, we were playing a summer friendly," the Portuguese told BT Sport.


"We started the game sleeping."


Sow opened the scoring with a spectacular overhead volley after two minutes and things got worse for the visitors when Lens curled home a superb free kick in the second half.


United reduced the deficit thanks to a vicious drive from Wayne Rooney late on.


"They started at 100mph and we started really slowly," Mourinho said. "The referee gives a free kick, they take it in a fast way, we don`t react, we lose the second ball and then we don`t mark Sow in the box.


"They are then where they want to be, they are in front, they can control the game, they can defend with a lot of bodies, wait for counter-attacks, simulate a few fouls, put some pressure on the referee, stop the game, win time and provoke some conflicts.


"But it`s not their fault, it`s our fault they went 1-0 in front. When we went 2-0 down we had a reaction ... but overall we didn`t deserve anything. Fenerbahce played a good game, an emotional game, and they deserved it."


United are third in Group A, a point behind leaders Feyenoord and Fenerbahce.