Man Utd Fans Left Concerned Over Midfielder’s Performance Amid 1-1 Europa League Draw
Manchester United’s 1-1 draw against FC Twente in the Europa League on Thursday night has left some fans concerned about the Red Devils’ midfield performance. The team’s draw came despite a first-half strike from Christian Eriksen, which was cancelled out by Sam Lammers after the break.
Eriksen’s goal was initially thought to have given Manchester United the lead, but Twente’s determination after the interval saw them create enough chances to equalise. Manager Erik ten Hag’s tactics after going up 1-0 drew criticism from some fans, with Eriksen later describing it as "not right" that Twente "looked like they wanted it more" than United.
While there were some impressive performances on the night, including Eriksen and Marcus Rashford, whose moments of brilliance were capped off in the opening 45 minutes, one fan in particular caught our eye – midfielder Manuel Ugarte.
The Uruguayan midfielder made his second start for the club since arriving from PSG in the summer and, while he did well defensively, his passing often left a lot to be desired. Some fans pointed out that Ugarte has yet to score a goal for the club and questioned the wisdom of shooting from afar, particularly when the shot has a low chance of going in.
"I get that Ugarte’s position is to control the flow of the game, but his passing has been a real liability," said one fan on social media. "His shot on goal was, of course, blocked. Why do we persist in playing him?"
Another critic of Ugarte’s shot said, "Ugarte’s shot on goal was like something from Football Manager. ‘Oh look, I’ll just pick up the ball and lash it goalwards!’ Utter nonsense."
Not all fans were critical of the midfielder, however. While acknowledging his defensive strengths and the fact that he "won the ball back often", one fan argued, "But he lost possession too often, which might be a concern."
Supporters are still trying to make sense of Manchester United’s inconsistent form this season, and the performance of players like Ugarte remains a hot topic of conversation. Will he continue to start for the Red Devils, or will Ten Hag opt for a different solution in midfield?
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