Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has called his side's packed October fixture list a "poisoned gift" in the wake of their 1-0 Europa League defeat of Zorya Luhansk at Old Trafford on Thursday.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored the lone goal as the Red Devils, who have hit a recent rough patch of results, struggled for long stretches to break through the stubborn Ukrainian side.
The victory, however, eases the strain on United, who have a gruelling fixture list in October, when they face Liverpool away on the Monday before their next Europa League game against Fenerbahce on Oct. 20.
That is followed by a trip to Chelsea the following Sunday then a League Cup tie against Manchester City three days later -- a gauntlet of games Mourinho has decreed will do United's preparation no favours.
"We could have played Liverpool on the Saturday or on the Sunday. We play Liverpool on the Monday, so maybe we don't have the best conditions," Mourinho said.
"We have this kind of poisoned gift of playing on a Monday, which creates a very difficult situation, but we want to try to get to the next round.
"Before that we have Stoke. Stoke is another poisoned gift. Stoke is not what the table says -- that's not Stoke's position."