Erik ten Hag provides response to “unacceptable” Manchester United claim this week

Erik ten Hag has provided a response to an “unacceptable” Manchester United claim made this week.

In Manchester United’s Europa League opener, Erik ten Hag’s side were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw against his boyhood club, FC Twente.

Christian Eriksen put United ahead with a brilliant first-half goal, but a momentary lapse from the Danish midfielder allowed Twente to equalise with 20 minutes left.

Despite bringing on Kobbie Mainoo, Alejandro Garnacho, and Rasmus Højlund to add attacking options, United couldn’t convert their late pressure into a winning goal.

After the match, Eriksen admitted that, surprisingly, the team acknowledged in the dressing room that Twente seemed to want the result more than they did.

“We wanted more, but in the end, it was far from good enough, and we said in the changing room that it looked like they wanted it more, and that can’t be right,” Eriksen told TNT Sports.

“I think, personally, you score a goal and think you’re a match-winner, but obviously it’s gone the other way. Everyone is looking at themselves. Everyone is a professional footballer.

“They know what to do, what can’t happen and in a game like today, we didn’t lose, but it felt like a loss and against FC Twente at home, that can’t happen.”

Ten Hag agreed with this rather surprising statement afterwards during his press conference. “It was the game of their life; they fought for every yard, and we didn’t,” he said.

The United manager was then asked further about those comments, which TNT Sports pundit Karen Carney described as “unacceptable”, ahead of the Premier League clash against Tottenham Hotspur this weekend.

Responding to the reason why United did not have the same hunger as their Dutch opponent, Ten Hag said: “We should be, that is what we demand from each other.

“That is what we have to bring on a consistent basis and that is what we are striving for. Successful teams have this.”

With upcoming clashes against Spurs, FC Porto and Aston Villa in the next week, United can not be leaving any of those games with a similar mindset.

Make sure to follow UtdDistrict on X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok to never miss out on any of our Manchester United content. Our podcast, What the Devil?, is released every Thursday at 6 pm (BST) on the United View YouTube channel.