Jose Mourinho has admitted Manchester United do not want to be in the Europa League and fears the competition could damage the club’s title prospects.

But the United manager vowed to take their participation seriously ahead of Thursday's opening Group A game against Feyenoord in Rotterdam and warned his squad they risk another humiliation like last season’s defeat by FC Midtylland if they are not mentally prepared.

As Feyenoord’s former Liverpool forward Dirk Kuyt reignited old hostilities by claiming United’s 2-1 derby defeat to Manchester City on Saturday had put them under “enormous pressure”, Mourinho voiced concerns about how the Thursday-Sunday fixture conundrum could handicap his team in the Premier League this term with his side facing Watford at midday on Sunday.