Europa League Preview: Ten Hag Faces Former Club Twente – Can Manchester United Secure a Winning Start in European Competition?

At 3:00 AM on September 26, the first round of the 2024/25 Europa League group stage will see Manchester United host Dutch side Twente at Old Trafford. Currently, in their respective league standings, Manchester United has 7 points from 2 wins, 1 draw, and 2 losses, temporarily ranking 11th. Twente has 11 points from 3 wins, 2 draws, and 2 losses, temporarily ranking 4th.

The start of the new season has seen Manchester United remain a focal point for media attention. In the last match, they played out a goalless draw with Crystal Palace despite dominating the game. After the match, from players to the head coach, all expressed regret at not being able to defeat the opponent. According to Ten Hag, this was a match where they could have “completely overwhelmed” the opponent; based on the first half alone, his team effectively lost 2 points. Although Crystal Palace were on the back foot, they were not without opportunities. Eze had two golden chances, either of which could have silenced Ten Hag completely. Moreover, as the game entered the second half, the match had evened out. Speaking of regret, the sentiments of the Crystal Palace coaching staff and players aligned with those of Manchester United.

Twente started steadily, even securing a resounding 5-0 victory over Almere City in the last round, keeping their opponents firmly rooted in the relegation zone while rising from 6th to 4th place themselves. Over the past five rounds, Twente has 2 wins, 2 draws, and 1 loss, which is fairly satisfactory, but they haven’t faced any truly strong opponents yet, so such a start comes with a hint of insufficiency. However, achieving a big win before the Europa League can be invaluable for motivating the team and boosting morale.

Every result of Ten Hag’s matches with Manchester United fuels speculation about the Dutchman’s future. The British media GMS confirmed that Ten Hag currently faces no risk of dismissal. A key player supporting him has been Onana. Rejecting penalties and making heroic double saves, these miraculous performances have activated Onana and stabilized Ten Hag’s nerves, along with those who thrive on chaos. Another person, Rashford, is also regaining his form, scoring 3 goals in 2 consecutive games, a sight unseen for many years. Clearly, the reality of not being selected for the European Championship has awakened him, and the hard training during this period has yielded results. However, Fernandes’ performance continues to be criticized by the media and fans.

Data shows that the two teams have never met before. However, another piece of data may provide some reference value: Manchester United has previously faced Dutch teams 19 times. With 10 wins, 4 draws, and 5 losses, they hold a significant advantage. An interesting fact is that Manchester United manager Ten Hag once played for Twente for a long time and chose to retire there. Though it was a long time ago, this connection adds an indescribable flavor to the contest between the two sides.

Before the game, according to the Manchester Evening News, Luke Shaw is actively rehabilitating but remains unavailable in the short term. Including Hojlund and Mount, who have been long absent, they have returned to the training ground and are available for selection by the head coach. Rashford, who was briefly rested in the last game, is expected to return to the starting lineup for this match, with Garnacho likely to be on standby from the bench. Facing his former club, Ten Hag said at the pre-match press conference, “I would rather face other teams; hurting something you love doesn’t make anyone happy. Among all the matches, I’ve watched Twente’s games the most, as a fan and supporter rather than an analyst.”

Twente, on the other hand, has a complete squad and has not suffered any serious personnel losses recently. Only two long-term injured players, Sadilek and Taha, remain far from returning. Sadilek suffered a bizarre injury while cycling before the European Championship, while Taha is dealing with leg issues, and neither has traveled with the team to Old Trafford. Twente’s head coach Austin also stated before the game that he believes his team is capable of hurting Manchester United, but everyone needs to set an example.

Manchester United’s recent form has improved, but the process of being held to a draw by Crystal Palace carries both regret and hidden concerns. Twente has just used a big win to send off for their upcoming Europa League journey. Result-wise, Ten Hag is eager to beat Twente and secure a winning start in European competition. Emotionally, however, Ten Hag is reluctant to defeat Twente. But, can Manchester United really secure a solid win against their opponents?

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