Manchester United opened their Europa League campaign with an underwhelming 1-1 draw at home to Erik ten Hag’s former side Twente.
Christian Eriksen put United ahead with a superb effort in the first half but was then at fault for Twente’s equaliser — as were a number of his team-mates — as Sam Lammers scored midway through the second half.
United’s next Europa League match is away to Porto on Thursday, October 3. Before then they host Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Laurie Whitwell and Carl Anka analyse the key talking points from Old Trafford…
Ten Hag’s old flame inflict pain on United
Ten Hag said he would rather not play Twente because he did not want to hurt something he loves. Ten Hag spent 23 years at Twente as a player and coach. In the end, the only pain was on United’s side.
Twente celebrated this draw as if they had won a piece of silverware, with the players and staff conducting a lengthy chorus with the 4,000 fans in the away section after the final whistle. Analysts in the stands lept up and hugged each other at the result.
For United, it continues an awkward start to the campaign. Their sequence now reads three wins, two draws and two defeats in all competitions. Quite how significant this result will be in the convoluted scheme of the expanded Europa League is difficult to say, but it is far from an ideal start.
Laurie Whitwell
Rashford shines on his return to Ten Hag’s XI
Marcus Rashford was back in the starting line-up, giving weight to Ten Hag’s insistence his place on the bench at Selhurst Park was a case of rotation, and he played with real enjoyment.
The highlight of his performance came when he nutmegged Ricky van Wolfswinkel on the edge of the Twente box at the end of a Ronaldinho-style elastico, drawing gasps from the Old Trafford crowd. There was substance to Rashford’s style, as he teed up Lisando Martinez with a pass, although the defender’s shot was blocked.
Marcus Rashford is dropping the elastico nutmegs 👨🍳
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/euoCddlwg1
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 25, 2024
Rashford has shown off that piece of skill to United fans before, but it has been a while. Here, it was a sure sign his confidence was up. He had already given a hint of his mood, twice slotting the ball through the legs of his opponent. The second of those nutmegs saw Rashford slide the ball to Joshua Zirkzee in the area after a break when he had injected speed by bursting down the wing.
He seems to have a good understanding with Zirkzee, whose technique was also evident. The pair pulled off a neat one-two in the box, with Zirkzee feeding Rashford through a spinning backheel. But Rashford’s low cross was intercepted.
Rashford crossed again shortly after, this time the ball going a fine margin ahead of the boot of a stretching Zirkzee. It had been a similar near miss for Zirkzee to a chance at Crystal Palace.
In the second half Rashford showed he can do the other side of the game, bullying Youri Regeer off the ball to start an attack. In all, despite not scoring, it was a vibrant return to starting action for Rashford.
Laurie Whitwell
A mixed night for Eriksen in midfield
Few things in football are more satisfying than watching a technical player hit the ball cleanly and firmly. Eriksen’s goal in the 35th minute was a joy to watch.
It resulted from Diogo Dalot forcing the issue in the final third and eking out a bit of space in the penalty area on the left. The ball ran loose and into the path of Eriksen, who struck it firmly and cleanly past Twente goalkeeper Lars Unnerstall at the far post.
(Zohaib Alam – MUFC/Manchester United via Getty Images)
The goal adds gloss to a purple patch for the central midfielder, who has gone from fringe player to selection favourite under Ten Hag in recent weeks. Wednesday’s match was the fourth match in a row that Eriksen has started, with him bringing his trademark grace, guile and cleverness to United’s midfield in the first half.
The Denmark is a point of variance to Ten Hag’s midfield options; where Manuel Ugarte and Casemiro bring tacking intensity and Kobbie Mainoo brings press-resistance ball carrying. Eriksen brings consistent (and controlled) passing into the final third, and he doesn’t attempt to force the issue if he feels United are better off holding onto the ball. United were flat for the majority of the first half against Twente, but Eriksen’s goal gave them a foothold from which they could build.
He unfortunately lost that foothold later in the second half. It was his heavy touch that finished off a bizarre sequence of defending that allowed Lammers to race through and score Twente’s equaliser.
At 32 years old and with known defensive frailties, Eriksen will not be able to solve United’s long-standing midfield conundrum. That Ten Hag continues to select the Dane says a lot about the player and the club’s odd midfield construction.
Carl Anka
A collection of errors for the Twente goal
A night that looked to be heading for a routine if unspectacular United win was upended in the 68th minute just after Ten Hag had replaced Amad with Alejandro Garnacho.
Bart van Rooij picked up possession from a goal-kick in the right-back position and decided to go for a run through the middle and managed to bulldoze his way into dangerous territory.
Rashford, having played well, missed his challenge…
Bruno Fernandes made little effort to intervene…
And then Lisandro Martinez, who had been booked not long before, and Eriksen failed to apply enough pressure when attempting to sandwich him…
Harry Maguire took the initiative to step forward and dived to try and stop Van Rooij’s momentum, but also missed, with the ball rolling through his legs…
Forcing Manuel Ugarte to come across to steal the ball, which he did by sliding in… Van Rooij had travelled about 60 yards by that stage, all the way from right back to the final third.
The ball went to Eriksen, who badly misjudged the situation. He took a touch as if he had all the space and time he wanted…
But succeeded in presenting a chance for Lammers to stride away with the ball…
United were suddenly totally exposed, with Lammers running into the area, but Andre Onana could also have done better.
He fell victim to Lammers shaping a finish for the far post and instead bending it to the near side…
It meant the so-called “Steve McClaren derby” ended in a draw. McClaren was presented with a silver plate before kick-off in recognition of his work at both clubs. He managed Twente to their only Eredivisie title and won the treble at Old Trafford. Sir Alex Ferguson was on the pitch as part of the tribute.
Laurie Whitwell
What did Erik ten Hag say?
We will bring you this after he has spoken at the post-match press conference.
What next for Manchester United?
Sunday, September 29: Tottenham Hotspur (H), Premier League, 4.30pm BST, 11.30am ET
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(Photo: Carl Recine/Getty Images)
