Christian Eriksen followed a ferocious finish with a costly mistake as Manchester United began the Europa League with a 1-1 draw against Erik ten Hag’s former club FC Twente.
This was a continental campaign few expected the Red Devils to be embarking on having missed out on European qualification through the Premier League last term.
But May’s shock FA Cup triumph against rivals Manchester City secured United a Europa League spot and they opened the new-look league phase in frustrating fashion against the Eredivisie side.
Eriksen’s first-half rocket put United on course to do just that, but the lowest-ranked side, in terms of UEFA’s coefficient, heading to Old Trafford in this revamped group phase had other ideas.
Sam Lammers went close with an early strike and was not to be denied a famous Old Trafford goal, dispossessing Eriksen as the midfielder turned into danger and then all too easily beating Andre Onana in the second half.
Twente’s largest ever European travelling support went wild and had made themselves heard long before kick-off, including bellowing Steve McClaren’s name when their title-winning ex-manager was introduced.
Bart van Rooij dispossessed dithering Diogo Dalot in the corner and sent in a low cross to the near post, where the forward’s snapshot flew just across the face of goal with eight minutes on the clock. Twente’s bright, confident start continued as United were blunted by a mixture of last-ditch defending and poor decision making.
But United’s control had now loosened and Onana got down low to ensure a 30-yard Sem Steijn free-kick did not creep home in front of Twente’s 4,000-or-so fans. The visitors smelt blood and sparked bedlam in the 68th minute.
Van Rooij’s driving run from deep in his own half was finally stopped in United territory, only for unaware Eriksen to turn into danger. Lammers took the ball off his toe, continued forward and simply beat Onana at his near post.
©️The Independent
