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Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has issued a damning critique of his players, following the side’s frustrating 1-1 draw against FC Twente.
Christian Eriksen gave United the lead in the first half as he brilliantly fired the ball into the back of the net, well beyond the reach of a diving Lars Unnerstall.
However, the Danish midfield went from hero to villain really quickly as he committed a huge mistake that directly led to Twente restoring parity and ensuring the points were shared.
After the final whistle, Ten Hag spoke to TNT and slammed his stars for failing to finish their chances and killing the game off.
The Dutchman carried on with his criticism in his presser, this time pulling no punches as he speculated that complacency may have set in within the ranks.
Ten Hag told reporters, “Yes, you saw it was the game of their [Twente] life. They fought for every yard and we didn’t. And 99 per cent is not enough, you have to give 100 per cent.”
“You have to kill the game, you have to finish it off. We are leading 1-0 and then there is coming an atmosphere in a team. We bring the game until the end but you have to go for the second goal and then you kill the game.”
“You saw there was a very good spirit in the [Twente] team, you could see after the draw, how they celebrate, what it meant to them, they were on the pitch. But we as a team have to be ready for that and we can’t allow them a situation with the equaliser where one player, the right back from Twente, is dribbling over the whole midfield without being stopped.”
He added, “We are very ambitious and when you have ambition you have to perform, to prove the point and especially today second half I think we were too easy-going, too complacent. We didn’t bring it over the line and as a team, you have to deliver this.”
Ten Hag emphasised that usually, the Red Devils demonstrate a “very good mentality” but this wasn’t the case in their Europa League opener of the 2024/25 season.
He urged his players to look in the mirror while explaining that he will also reflect on his own shortcomings and where he fell short.
Ten Hag once again reiterated that United should have maintained the levels in the second half, especially considering everyone is well aware that they are struggling for goals at the moment.
The 54-year-old coach will certainly be hoping for far better fortunes when he and his players travel to North London over the weekend to take on Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham Hotspur side.
Feature image Carl Recine via Getty Images
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