sending United packing a year to the day since they also lost on Dutch soil to PSV Eindhoven.
Mourinho had admitted beforehand that United risked embarrassment if they failed to approach the game with the right attitude and that is precisely what materialised.
This is Jose Mourinho’s second defeat in competitive games for United following last weekend’s Manchester derby loss. While Feyenoord basked in the warm glow of a memorable win and two former Liverpool players, Brad Jones and Dirk Kuyt, celebrated as hard as anyone while “You’ll Never Walk Alone” reverberated around the ground, Mourinho trudged solemnly to the tunnel, pausing only to hold a hand out to the 1,200 United fans who had made the trip to Rotterdam, almost in apology at the abject nature of his team’s performance.
For Paul Pogba, the world’s most expensive player, this was another bitterly disappointing performance, the £89 million man outshone by Feyenoord’s Karim El Ahmadi and Tonny Vilhena, the goalscorer, in midfield. Marcos Rojo was a liability at left back and Anthony Martial looked cowed in attack along with Marcus Rashford and Juan Mata, all of whom were replaced in one fell swoop in the second half.
Mourinho was looking for two things here. Firstly, a reaction to the derby defeat and, secondly, for those players who have been on the periphery so far this season to take the opportunity afforded them.