Manchester United spent heavily in the transfer market, but the expected improvement on the pitch has yet to be seen as they prepare to face Twente at home in their Europa League opener on Wednesday.
A goalless draw against Crystal Palace last weekend dampened the momentum gained from a 3-0 win over Southampton and a League Cup thrashing of Barnsley. However, manager Erik ten Hag remains optimistic about the team’s progress.
“The performance is good, but we are not happy with the score. We are disappointed with the score, it’s clear,” Ten Hag said after the stalemate at Selhurst Park. “But I know one thing for sure in football, it’s a long journey. When you play with the quality we’re showing now, the points and goals will come. We can now work on the team, build structures, and bring consistency in selection. That will help establish patterns and routines, and then we will play better.”
United find themselves back in the revamped Europa League after a disappointing Champions League campaign last season, where they finished bottom of their group. Anything less than a win against Dutch side Twente—making their first appearance in the competition proper since 2012—would increase pressure on Ten Hag and his players.
Spurs Seek Solace
Tottenham fans have also begun to express discontent for the first time since their strong start under Ange Postecoglou a year ago. A 3-1 victory over Brentford last weekend offered some relief after back-to-back Premier League losses to Newcastle and Arsenal.
With their 17-year trophy drought in mind, Spurs view the new-look Europa League, which no longer features teams dropping down from the Champions League, as a prime opportunity for silverware. They host Azerbaijani club Qarabag on Thursday.
“I keep saying to people, ‘Show me a success story, and I’ll show you a struggle.’ People forget the struggle and focus on the end result,” Postecoglou remarked last week.
Roma’s Turmoil
Crisis-hit Roma welcome Athletic Bilbao to the Stadio Olimpico, aiming to build on their recent strong European form. The Serie A club has reached at least the Europa League semi-finals in three of the past four seasons, with the exception being their 2022 Conference League triumph under Jose Mourinho.
However, Roma’s supporters were enraged by the sacking of coach Daniele De Rossi, expressing their anger towards management and players during Sunday’s win over Udinese. The backlash has been so severe that CEO Lina Souloukou, who resigned on Saturday morning, was placed under police protection after receiving online threats against her and her family. A banner outside Roma’s Trigoria training ground branded Souloukou, previously CEO of Olympiakos, as “evil.”
Elsewhere, 2022 winners Eintracht Frankfurt will face Viktoria Plzen, while four-time European champions Ajax take on Besiktas in Amsterdam.
