Man United-FC Twente: Erik Ten Hag rues hurting former club

MANCHESTER, England — Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag said he would have preferred not to play against his former club, FC Twente, in the Europa League because it’s “not nice to have to hurt something you love.”

Ten Hag began his playing career at FC Twente and returned as a coach before becoming a first-team manager.

The Dutch side visit Old Trafford in the Europa League on Wednesday and Ten Hag admitted he would rather be facing another team.

“FC Twente has brought me a lot,” Ten Hag told a news conference on Tuesday. “I was put through their academy, I was part of the generation of the first youth team when the youth competition was started up again after many years, so for me there is a great deal of history there.

“I would have preferred to play against someone else. It is not nice to have to hurt something you love.”

Ten Hag has hinted that he could rotate his squad for the game because the new expanded European format has “overloaded” players.

The 54-year-old was criticised after leaving out Marcus Rashford for the 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace on Saturday but the United boss insists he will continue to make changes to avoid burnout.

“I didn’t understand the criticism,” he said. “There are too many games, too many competitions, it’s clear. The players are overloaded, this is not good for football. Maybe it’s good for commercial.

“We need a squad of more than 11 to line up. Form is part of it, tactics is part of it, but definitely the management and load is part of it.”

Rashford is likely to start against FC Twente after being used as a second half substitute at Selhurst Park.

United have struggled for goals this season and have managed just five in five games in the Premier League.

It was a similar story last season when they finished the campaign as the joint-lowest scorers in the top half of the table alongside Palace.

“We create a lot of chances in the first games of the season,” Ten Hag said. “Last week we scored seven against Barnsley. We are capable of scoring many goals but it’s a part of the game and we have to improve and kill in the box.”