Fans have noticed trend about Erik ten Hag that is ‘costing them games’ as they draw against FC Twente

Erik ten Hag’s substitution decisions have sparked fresh criticism following Manchester United’s 1-1 stalemate with FC Twente in the Europa League.

It was a night filled with frustration for Ten Hag and his team. Christian Eriksen’s powerful shot had initially put United ahead, while Marcus Rashford displayed impressive form during the first half, and Joshua Zirkzee also made his mark in the attack.

However, the second half saw a dip in United’s performance, allowing FC Twente to equalize in the 68th minute after a mistake by Eriksen, which former Rangers forward Sam Lammers capitalized on.

Just prior to the equalizer, Ten Hag substituted Amad Diallo for Alejandro Garnacho. Then, with only 10 minutes left in the game, he made three debatable changes, taking off Zirkzee, Rashford, and Eriksen in favor of Rasmus Højlund and Mason Mount. These decisions left many fans questioning his tactical approach.

Since his arrival at Old Trafford in the summer of 2022, Ten Hag’s substitution patterns have often been a source of concern, and Wednesday’s game only added fuel to that fire.

One fan vented: “Why take off Rashford, Eriksen, and Zirkzee—three of the best players on the pitch? Eriksen made a mistake, sure, and the left side wasn’t great defensively, but still… Bruno was having a poor game. I would’ve subbed off Bruno and Eriksen instead, and brought on Mount and Højlund earlier.”

Another fan echoed this sentiment, saying: “Ten Hag waits too long to make changes, and it’s costing us results.” A third added: “Eriksen should have been subbed at the 60th minute. We paid the price for that decision today.”

A fourth fan was equally frustrated: “The second half was dreadful. The defending for their goal was shocking, and Ten Hag’s substitutions and game management were poor. Fernandes was off his game.”

Another fan remarked: “I’ve never seen a manager mismanage subs as often as Ten Hag,” while yet another chimed in: “He always waits until the 78-80 minute mark to make subs that should’ve happened much earlier, and we almost always concede in that gap. His in-game management needs to improve.”

What did you think of Manchester United’s performance on Wednesday night? Share your thoughts with us.