Erik ten Hag expressed his disappointment with Manchester United for failing to "fight for every yard" in their 1-1 Europa League draw against Twente at Old Trafford on Wednesday night. Twente, on the other hand, played with an intensity that Ten Hag described as "the game of their life." United took the lead through Christian Eriksen's first-half strike and seemed to be in control at halftime. However, in the 68th minute, Bart van Rooij made a significant run from deep within Twente's territory, evading Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes, Lisandro Martínez, and Harry Maguire. Manuel Ugarte's tackle on the defender resulted in the ball falling to Eriksen, but the Dane hesitated, allowing Sam Lammers to seize the opportunity and equalize.
An irate Ten Hag commented: "You could see that it was the game of their life; they fought for every yard, and we didn't. Ninety-nine percent is not enough; you need to give 100%, you need to finish the game off. We were leading 1-0, and then there was a shift in the team's approach. You have to push for the second goal to secure the win." Eriksen also voiced his dissatisfaction, stating, "We're disappointed as a team. We aimed for more, but it was far from good enough. They seemed to want it more than us, which shouldn't be the case. Personally, after scoring a goal, you expect it to be the matchwinner, but it didn't turn out that way." When asked about Eriksen's critique of the team's mental approach, Ten Hag acknowledged it as a concern, especially given their ambitious goals. "You have to perform and prove your point, especially in the second half, where we were too complacent. The team, as a whole, needs to step up. While our mentality is usually very strong, I have some criticism today. It's not just the team that needs to reflect; I am part of this too."
