Erik Ten Hag Criticises Manchester United’s Mentality

On Wednesday, Manchester United faced FC Twente in their opening Europa League group stage match, resulting in a disappointing 1-1 draw. Manager Erik ten Hag was visibly frustrated with his players' mentality and effort, particularly after they had taken the lead in the first half through a goal from Christian Eriksen. The team struggled to maintain control and allowed Twente to equalize in the 68th minute, which Ten Hag attributed to a lack of urgency and complacency in their play. Ten Hag noted that the Twente players displayed a strong fighting spirit, emphasizing that they fought for every inch on the pitch. In contrast, he felt his team did not match that intensity, stating that 99 percent effort is insufficient in competitive matches. He pointed out that the team needed to be more aggressive in seeking a second goal to secure the win and avoid giving the opponent opportunities to come back into the game. The manager acknowledged that while the team's mentality has been good in many previous matches, this performance fell short of expectations. He called for both the players and himself to reflect on their roles in the outcome. Ten Hag stressed the importance of building a consistent performance, especially with challenging fixtures against FC Porto and Fenerbahce on the horizon. In conclusion, Ten Hag's criticism serves as a wake-up call for the team to improve their performance and mentality moving forward. He highlighted the need for better game management and the importance of capitalizing on scoring opportunities to avoid similar disappointments in future matches.