When Manchester United click as they did here for large periods, their attack features organised chaos and their defence is compact, as their four clean sheets this season show. This last statistic was heading for a fifth until a hapless Christian Eriksen turned from scoring hero to culprit with a dither that allowed Sam Lammers to equalise on 68 minutes.
Chasing victory, Erik ten Hag replaced the restored Marcus Rashford with Rasmus Højlund, Joshua Zirkee with Mason Mount, and Eriksen with Kobbie Mainoo. But this last-dice throw failed despite an added-time scramble that had Harry Maguire heading goalwards so United’s Europa League challenge starts with a point.
Ten Hag and Eriksen were each scathing afterwards, saying Twente simply wanted it more. For highly paid professionals at elite level, maximum hunger is a non‑negotiable base requirement. But this is where Ten Hag’s United project remains: in a groundhog day bouncing between the odd good performance and the next duff one.
The latter occurred after an impressive first half. United continued the good on-ball work of the goalless draw at Crystal Palace on Saturday, that featured a possession-heavy style which, according to Ten Hag’s naysayers, is beyond his ken to shape.
There was spoiling, too, from Manuel Ugarte who, on full debut, poked possession away from Youri Regeer at halfway in the kind of act for which he was bought, as did Noussair Mazraoui when Anass Salah-Eddine swooped in along the left byline. The challenge led to a corner that Michel Vlap flashed in from the left. The ball bounced towards the far touchline, Diogo Dalot was robbed by Bart van Rooij, and he fed Lammers. Twente’s No 10, in space, spooned the ball wide of the left post.
Lining up as United’s central striker, again, Zirkzee’s natural game is more akin to the deft work of a playmaker, as a no-look backheel that flummoxed Twente’s rearguard and put Rashford in behind illustrated. The latter’s cross was scuffed but another bright United attack ensued.
Then, a scramble in Twente’s area, involving Dalot, Amad Diallo, Bruno Fernandes and an Eriksen effort that was blocked, allowing Lars Unnerstall to collect. The goalkeeper, next, had to beat away an inadvertent Mees Hilgers shot when Lisandro Martínez headed across the six-yard box for Zirkzee and the centre-back, clumsily, interjected.
Rashford, the beneficiary of Alejandro Garnacho dropping to the bench, was a force, as illustrated by another gallop along the left and pass to Zirkzee; then a cheeky nutmeg of Ricky van Wolfswinkel that drew “oohs” from the faithful. He was also part of a three-man press involving Zirkzee and Fernandes whenever Unnerstall looked to begin from the back and, also, the first to congratulate Eriksen on the opener: a bullet of a finish that flew into the left corner.
The chance came from a reverse ball from the ever-clever Fernandes into Dalot who, marauding in the area, saw Eriksen take over and finish supremely.
Could Ten Hag’s men maintain this display? The answer would be no, despite a bright second-half start that had some Rashford footwork bewildering two Twente defenders and taking him knifing towards goal before Joseph Oosting’s side recovered.
At this juncture, United still cruised. They had to stay alert but as Mazraoui’s slick control and lissome-legged skip forward showed, they were a class (or more) above their foe. The Moroccan’s foray led to a corner, and Maguire chiding himself for smacking the ball straight into Unnerstall’s gloves.
Then Martínez, as he likes to do, clattered into Sem Steijn, was booked, and the same player’s free‑kick was a laser that had André Onana dipping left to repel. Two corners ensued and were defended and soon United were racing in via Rashford as they sought a second to ease a nervy last half‑hour. Eriksen, with a corner, looked to create it but Twente remained firm.
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Joy for the Dutch next. Van Rooij skated 40 yards forward, evaded Rashford, Fernandes, Martínez, and Maguire, who dived in clumsily. Ugarte tackled and Eriksen received but then dawdled on the ball and Lammers mugged the Dane, raced into United’s area and beat Onana to the right.
The Twente support partied and though Zirkzee, Mainoo and Garnacho all threatened, United ended with a second consecutive draw.
