Report: Player Ratings as Man United are Held to Frustrating Draw Against FC Twente

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·25 September 2024

Report: Player Ratings as Man United are Held to Frustrating Draw Against FC Twente

Manchester United 1-1 FC Twente: Europa League Campaign Begins with Frustrating Draw

Manchester United’s Europa League campaign kicked off with a 1-1 draw against FC Twente at Old Trafford. Despite being the dominant force for much of the match, Erik ten Hag’s men failed to capitalise on their chances and were undone by a defensive lapse, allowing the Dutch side to equalise.

This was far from the ideal start for United, especially after taking the lead through Christian Eriksen. A single mistake, however, resulted in a leveller from FC Twente’s Sam Lammers, leaving the hosts frustrated and ruing missed opportunities.

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How the match unfolded

Erik ten Hag’s connection with FC Twente—his boyhood club—added a layer of personal significance to the fixture. However, the Dutchman rotated his squad slightly, with key players such as Christian Eriksen, Harry Maguire, and Manuel Ugarte featuring. Notably, Amad Diallo also got the nod to start.

The game began at a measured pace, with neither side really taking charge early on. In fact, it was FC Twente who nearly opened the scoring within the first 10 minutes when Sam Lammers latched onto a low cross and sent the ball narrowly wide. United enjoyed more of the ball but struggled to break down a resilient Twente defence in the early stages.

Lars Unnerstall, Twente’s goalkeeper, was first truly tested 25 minutes in, reacting sharply to prevent an own goal after a deflection from Mees Hilgers. Joshua Zirkzee loomed nearby, ready to pounce. From that point, United began to assert themselves, with Lisandro Martinez seeing a shot blocked.

Eventually, their persistence paid off. Diogo Dalot’s foray into the box was cut short, but the ball fell kindly for Christian Eriksen, who unleashed a powerful shot into the top corner, giving United a well-deserved lead. Twente responded by enjoying a sustained spell of possession, but Andre Onana remained largely untroubled as the first half drew to a close.

Twente’s equaliser stuns United

The second half began much like the first, with both teams easing into the flow. United appeared in control and even began to up the tempo around the hour mark, suggesting they were looking to put the game beyond Twente’s reach. But then, in a twist, the Dutch visitors equalised against the run of play.

Bart van Rooij sparked the move with a surging run upfield, carrying Twente 70 yards into United’s half. Though his energy eventually ran out, a moment of carelessness from Eriksen allowed Lammers to dispossess him. The Twente forward took his chance well, driving towards goal and slipping his shot past Onana at the near post, leaving United stunned.

Late United efforts come up short

Manchester United pressed for a winner in the closing stages, with Joshua Zirkzee coming closest. The young striker dazzled with a step-over reminiscent of Ronaldinho, only for Unnerstall to deny him with an important save. In stoppage time, the Twente keeper was once again called into action, this time preventing an own goal after a deflected header from Maguire.

United had one final chance to snatch a win, but Manuel Ugarte, who had been impressive all night, missed the target with a misdirected header, summing up United’s frustrating evening.

Player ratings

Manchester United

GK: Andre Onana – 6/10 – Couldn’t do much about the goal but was largely a spectator for the majority of the game.
RB: Noussair Mazraoui – 6/10 – Frequently joined the attack but was unable to block Lammers’ shot in time.
CB: Harry Maguire – 7/10 – Solid in possession and quick when required. Unlucky not to score in the dying moments.
CB: Lisandro Martinez – 6/10 – Showed promise in attack, having a couple of efforts blocked.
LB: Diogo Dalot – 6/10 – Played a key role in the lead-up to Eriksen’s goal, though it was a touch fortunate.
CM: Manuel Ugarte – 8/10 – A commanding presence in midfield, breaking up play effectively. His late headed miss was a rare blot on an otherwise stellar performance.
CM: Christian Eriksen – 7/10 – Scored a fantastic goal but was at fault for Twente’s equaliser after being caught in possession.
RM: Amad Diallo – 6/10 – Showed glimpses of attacking flair but couldn’t quite make a decisive impact.
AM: Bruno Fernandes (c) – 5/10 – Surprisingly quiet, lacking his usual spark and creativity.
LM: Marcus Rashford – 7/10 – Confidence is returning, as demonstrated by a first-half nutmeg. Looked dangerous throughout.
ST: Joshua Zirkzee – 6/10 – Movement was good but didn’t see much of the ball. One notable effort well saved by Unnerstall.

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

Manager

Erik ten Hag – 6/10 – Will feel his side had enough to win, but perhaps the triple substitution came a little late.

What’s next for United?

With Manchester United drawing their first Europa League fixture, the pressure is now on to claim three points in the next match to keep qualification hopes on track. The likes of Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes will need to be more decisive, and Erik ten Hag will surely look for better decision-making in key moments.

For FC Twente, it’s a valuable point away from home and a reminder of their capability to compete with bigger clubs. United, however, will need to sharpen up if they want to avoid another frustrating evening in Europe.