Jose Mourinho's reluctant return to the Europa League ended in embarrassment as Tonny Vilhena fired Feyenoord to a 1-0 win over Manchester United in their Group A opener on Thursday.

For a man with a keen eye on his position in the soccer hierarchy, competing in the Europa League for the first time in 13 years was an unappetising prospect for Mourinho and his players seemed equally uninspired as a much-changed United line-up succumbed to Vilhena's late strike at De Kuip.

It was United's second consecutive defeat after Saturday's painful loss to bitter rival Manchester City in the Premier League and Mourinho will hope his decision to make eight changes against Feyenoord is rewarded with victory when the team returns to domestic action at Watford on Sunday.