After Christian Eriksen’s costly error cost Manchester United a 1-1 draw in their Europa League opener against FC Twente on September 25, Erik ten Hag lashed out at his team.
United Takes Early Lead but Falters
At Old Trafford, Eriksen’s 35th-minute strike put United ahead, but the Danish midfielder gave Twente the equaliser in the second half.
In the 68th minute, Sam Lammers took Eriksen’s dangerous turn under pressure and fired past Andre Onana.
Ten Hag Criticizes Lack of Control
Ten Hag, the manager of Man United, insisted that the team as a whole must accept responsibility for their inability to maintain the lead rather than singling out Eriksen.
“We kept them in the game, leading 1-0. To maintain control over the game, you must be steady and persistent. Ten Hag stated, “We lost the level and handed the goal away in the second half.
Failure to Push for the Second Goal
We failed to complete it; instead, we had to aim for the second objective, which allowed them to survive and punished us for our own error.
Ten Hag continued, pressing Eriksen’s blunder: “The goal is a team mistake; a Twente player can dribble over the pitch without stopping. This is no way to give away a goal.
“We have witnessed once more that you must continue playing the entire game; if you are ahead 1-0, you must press for the second goal. Since it’s the first game, winning is important.”
Ten Hag History with Twente
Ten Hag, who said on the eve of the game, “It’s not nice to have to hurt something you love,” spent a total of 23 years at Twente across three periods as a player and then in different coaching capacities.
Instead, it was the Eredivisie side who caused the discomfort, with another inconsistent United performance following their disappointing goalless draw against Crystal Palace on September 21.
Eriksen Questions United’s Ambition
After United’s dismal performance in European tournaments, which included just one victory in nine games, Eriksen questioned whether the team had enough ambition to play.
“I believe that we were mostly disappointed as a team because we expected much better in the end. Eriksen said, “It can’t be right because they appeared to want it more.”
Another Poor Start for United in Europe
“I believe that everyone is focusing on themselves since they are all professional football players and understand what may and cannot happen. Even though we win, it still feels like a loss.
It was another disappointing start for United in European competition after they placed last in their Champions League group with only one victory.
Upcoming Matches for Man United
On September 29, Ten Hag’s struggling team returns to action at Old Trafford against Tottenham.
They will next play Porto in the revamped Europa League first round before going up against Jose Mourinho’s previous team, Fenerbahce.
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