Fenerbahce's Jose Mourinho says Man United and Spurs are favourites for Europa League

Fenerbahce are preparing for their third Europa League group phase game against United, a club Mourinho managed for two-and-a-half seasons - winning the competition in 2017 - while he also guided Spurs to a League Cup final.

"If I have to say now which are the two biggest candidates to win the Europa League, I think it's easy - Manchester United and Tottenham," Mourinho told reporters on Wednesday.

"The Premier League is a different level of quality, intensity, pace, tactical culture - a different level of everything. Tomorrow, I think we are going to play against one of the two strongest teams."

Mourinho led United to a second-placed finish in his last full season but lost his job the following campaign in December 2018 when they were closer to the relegation zone than the league leaders.

However, the Portuguese coach said he "didn't lose one minute thinking about" whether the club has improved since his exit, adding that he wished the Old Trafford side and manager Erik ten Hag the best.

"I left with a good feeling for the club and its fans and I want the best for them," Mourinho said.

"If things aren't going amazingly well for them, it's not something that makes me happy. But I have no time, it doesn't make sense for me to be thinking about what happened (or) what didn't happen.

"What happened for sure is that they now keep faith in the coach, supporting the coach who is staying season after season. That means stability and trust, giving him conditions to keep his job."

While Ten Hag has been under pressure to deliver after two full seasons at the club, Mourinho believes the Dutchman will eventually succeed even if results have not gone their way.

"They will succeed sooner or later. Hopefully sooner and before, one day, I go back to the Premier League and they become my opponents. At this moment they are just my opponents for one match," he said.

Mourinho also cheekily said he is looking to add a fourth Premier League medal to his glittering cabinet if Manchester City are stripped of their titles and United are awarded the Premier League trophy for the 2017/18 season.

City, who have won the English title a record four times in succession, were referred to an independent commission in February 2023, with the various charges dating from 2009 to 2018. They have always denied any wrongdoing.

Should City be found guilty of some or all of the charges they could face penalties or huge fines, points deductions, being stripped of their titles or even be demoted from the top flight.

"We won the Europa League and finished second in the Premier League. I think we still have a chance to win that league," Mourinho said.

"Maybe they punish Manchester City with points (deductions) and maybe we win that league. They have to pay me the bonus and give me the medal."

Mourinho was the first manager since Alex Ferguson's last season in 2012/13 to bring United the closest to winning the league title again.

Ferguson is United's most successful manager and although he is set to step down as a global ambassador after the club's part-owners INEOS ended his multi-million-pound contract, Mourinho said the 82-year-old did not need the position or the money.

"The ambassadorial role... I don't know in depth the situation. It doesn't matter why, what (happened). Sir Alex has the most important thing, which is the love and respect of every Man United fan around the world," Mourinho said.

"That is more important than an ambassadorial role, it is more important than a few pounds that he can make that he doesn't need."