In a night that should have belonged to Manchester United, manager Erik ten Hag found himself scowling on the touchline as his team was held to a surprising 1-1 draw by FC Twente at Old Trafford. This impasse, marked by Christian Eriksen’s inaugural goal and later marred by a mistake that allowed Dutch forward Sam Lammers to equalize, has left the Red Devils grabbing at straws in their Europa League campaign.
Manchester United’s players, including the likes of Harry Maguire, Manuel Ugarte, Christian Eriksen, and Lisandro Martinez, were visibly dejected as they left the pitch, a reflection of their manager’s sentiments. Ten Hag, who has deep roots with FC Twente, having both supported and played for them during his youth in the Netherlands, couldn’t hide his disappointment.
“You saw that was the game of their life. They fought for every yard and we didn’t,” lamented Ten Hag. “99% is not enough, you have to give 100%. You have to kill the game. You have to finish it off.”
The evening began on a promising note for United. In the 35th minute, Eriksen delivered a moment of brilliance, hammering a first-time shot into the top corner, leaving FC Twente’s goalkeeper Lars Unnerstall helpless. The Dane’s strike was met with rapturous applause from the home crowd as he celebrated with a clenched fist. Yet, the jubilation was short-lived.
Twente, undeterred and resilient, found a way back into the game. A notable error by Eriksen in the midfield allowed Lammers to snatch the ball and sprint towards the goal. His strike in the 68th minute passed United’s goalkeeper Andre Onana at the near post, silencing the Old Trafford faithful and igniting cheers among the traveling Dutch supporters.
.
Ten Hag’s frustrations were palpable. “There’s a lot of football still to play when you are one up and the game takes more than 90 minutes. You have to fight until the end and score the second goal,” he reiterated in his post-match assessment.
This draw adds to what has been a sluggish start to Manchester United’s season, bringing their record to just three wins out of seven matches across all competitions. This latest draw followed a goalless outing against Crystal Palace in the Premier League, adding more concerns for Ten Hag and his squad.
The revamped format of the Europa League means more intense competition, with 36 teams competing in a league system where each team plays eight matches against various opponents until January. This modification, while designed to elevate the excitement and competitiveness of the tournament, has also put extra pressure on teams like Manchester United to perform consistently.
Elsewhere in the Europa League, several notable results were recorded:
– Galatasaray triumphed with a 3-1 victory over PAOK
– Lazio overran Dynamo Kyiv with a convincing 3-0 win
– Real Sociedad and Nice shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw
– Midtjylland and Hoffenheim also settled for a 1-1 draw
– Anderlecht edged Ferencvaros 2-1
– S Prague secured a 2-0 win over Ludogorets.
Meanwhile, Ten Hag must now focus on rallying his squad, addressing the significant lapses in concentration and performance that have plagued them so far. The tactical issues were evident; despite Eriksen’s masterstroke, United appeared lethargic and disoriented, particularly when it came to pressing and maintaining possession.
The Dutch coach, well-regarded for his meticulous approach, will likely emphasize these shortcomings in upcoming training sessions. He has to find a balance within his squad, something that has evidently skewed given their recent form. The expectation from fans and the club hierarchy remains high, and such performances surely test the patience of even the most ardent supporters.
Manchester United’s journey in this restructured Europa League is still in its early stages, but if they intend to navigate through to the latter stages, a drastic improvement is necessary. Ten Hag’s assertion that “99% is not enough” will resonate profoundly, as United fans await with bated breath to see whether their football giants can awaken from their slumber and put on a performance worthy of their storied legacy.
