- Man Utd open 2024/25 Europa League campaign at home to FC Twente
- Christian Eriksen gave Erik ten Hag's side a deserved first half lead
- Failure to build on the lead cost Red Devils maximum points at home
Manchester United were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw by FC Twente as they got their Europa League campaign underway at Old Trafford on Wednesday night.
United were the dominant side overall and deserved to take the lead through Christian Eriksen in the first half. But unable to create enough clear chances to put the game to bed, a mistake from the same player resulted in Sam Lammers snatching an equaliser.
How the game unfolded
Erik ten Hag slightly rotated for the visit of his beloved boyhood club, but was still able to call upon a strong side with places for Manuel Ugarte, Christian Eriksen, Harry Maguire and Amad Diallo.
Neither team made a particularly quick start, although United could have been behind after nine minutes had Lammers’ effort following a low cross into the box crept the right side of the post. The hosts had a lot of the ball in the early stages without fashioning anything particularly dangerous, with Twente goalkeeper Lars Unnerstall first called into action 25 minutes in to parry what would have been a spectacular own goal from Mees Hilgers. Joshua Zirkzee was waiting just behind.
But there was a sense from that moment that United were beginning to build some attacking momentum. Zirkzee continued to sniff around, while Lisandro Martinez had a shot blocked and it wasn’t long until Eriksen lashed the home side into what was by then a justified lead. Diogo Dalot’s attempt to get into the box was thwarted, but the loose ball rolled invitingly into the path of the Dane and he drove it first time towards the far top corner of the goal.
The first then finished with Twente enjoying their first spell of sustained possession, although Andre Onana hadn’t really been tested by the time the interval came.
It was another relatively slow start to a half in the second 45, with United starting to go up through the gears around the hour mark. It was therefore unexpected when Twente drew level. Right-back Bart van Rooij made it possible with a surging run that advanced the visitors 70 yards up the pitch. He ran out of steam and the move looked to have petered out, but Eriksen was caught in possession by Lammers, who drove towards goal and deceived Onana to finish at the near post.
Into the final 15 minutes and Zirkzee drew an important save from Unnerstall, beating his marker with a Ronaldinho-esque stepover but seeing the Twente goalkeeper equal to the fierce shot.
A little more urgency came as the clock ticked on and, in stoppage time, Unnerstall heroically secured his side a point with an instinctive save to stop another potential own goal after Harry Maguire’s header was deflected. As the ball came back into the box, the only blot on Manuel Ugarte’s impressive night was a total misdirection on a glorious headed chance of his own.
Man Utd player ratings (4-2-3-1)
GK: Andre Onana - 6/10 - Done by the eyes for Twente's goal. Otherwise mostly a spectator.
RB: Noussair Mazraoui - 6/10 - Looked happy to charge forward. Came flying across to try and block Lammers' equalising shot but didn't make it in time.
CB: Harry Maguire - 7/10 - Strong on the ball, showed decent pace when he needed to.
CB: Lisandro Martinez - 6/10 - Posed a threat in the attacking penalty area more than once.
LB: Diogo Dalot - 6/10 - Slightly fortuitously involved in the first half goal for Eriksen, but it was his presence in the box that resulted in the ball on a plate for the Dane.
CM: Manuel Ugarte - 8/10 - Handed only his second start in a United shirt, but important minutes under his belt on a bigger stage than the Carabao Cup last week. Not scared to put in a tackle and usually in the right place at the right time to defuse potential danger.
CM: Christian Eriksen - 7/10 - On the scoresheet again a week after his Barnsley brace. Had barely put a foot wrong until he was the one caught on the ball for Twente's equaliser.
RM: Amad Diallo - 6/10 - Posed an attacking threat even if things didn't quite pan out.
AM: Bruno Fernandes (c) - 5/10 - Surprisingly shy of his typical best.
LM: Marcus Rashford - 7/10 - Back in the starting XI after beginning on the bench at the weekend. A flip flap nutmeg at one stage in the first half showed the confidence that is returning to his game.
ST: Joshua Zirkzee - 6/10 - Didn't see that much of the ball himself but movement looked promising and one decent shot that he fashioned the space for with sharp dribbling.
Substitutes
SUB: Alejandro Garnacho (67' for Amad) - 7/10
SUB: Kobbie Mainoo (79' for Eriksen) - 7/10
SUB: Mason Mount (79' for Zirkzee) - 5/10
SUB: Rasmus Hojlund (79' for Rashford) - 5/10
Subs not used: Altay Bayindir (GK), Tom Heaton (GK), Jonny Evans, Matthijs de Ligt, Casemiro, Toby Collyer, Antony.
Manager
Erik ten Hag - 6/10 - Will have felt his team should have had enough to win. Went for the triple substitution to freshen things up chasing the win in the final stages. Mainoo and Garnacho in particular made positive impacts, so maybe that change could have happened sooner.
