Christian Eriksen has revealed that Manchester United players admitted that FC Twente looked like they wanted to win more in Wednesday’s Europa League draw at Old Trafford. Eriksen offered the damning insight from the home dressing room after playing a central role in both goals in the lacklustre 1-1 stalemate.
The 32-year-old opened United’s European account for the season with a thunderous strike in the first half, his third goal in as many games.
But he later produced a costly lapse of concentration, conceding possession to the on-running Sam Lammers, who fired past Andre Onana at his near post to earn the visitors a memorable point.
United have now won just one of their last nine European games under Erik ten Hag, stretching back to their 2022/23 Europa League quarter-final exit to Sevilla.
They have lost five and drawn three in that run and only edged past FC Copenhagen 1-0 thanks to Andre Onana’s stoppage-time penalty save at Old Trafford.
And while, for the most part, United’s performances have been improved from a disastrous 2023/24 campaign, the results haven’t made good reading.
The Red Devils’ only wins in their opening eight games this season have come against Fulham, Southampton and Barnsley.
More problems could be brewing for Ten Hag after Eriksen claimed his squad privately acknowledged that Twente were more hungry for the three points in M16.
“I think we’re mostly disappointed as a team. I think we obviously wanted more but in the end it was far from good enough,” Eriksen told TNT Sports after full-time.
“But, yeah, it was just being said in the changing room. They [Twente] looked like they wanted it more than us, and that can’t be right.
“Personally, you score a goal and think you’re the match-winner, but obviously it’s gone the other way.”
He added: “I think everyone is looking at themselves mostly. Everyone is a professional footballer, they know what to do, they know it can’t happen, a game like today.
“Obviously, we didn’t lose, but it feels like a loss. At home against FC Twente, it can’t happen.”
Ten Hag’s side are slumped in 11th after five games, winning just twice and only scoring five goals, three of which came in the win at Southampton.
They also now face awkward back-to-back away Europa League fixtures, first at Porto before visiting Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce. Twente was the most winnable of the opening three.