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A lacklustre Manchester United were paid to pay by FC Twente in their Europa League opener as the Dutch side claimed a historic point at Old Trafford on Wednesday.
When Christian Eriksen scored the opener, the home fans must have though their team would eventually go on to grab the game by the scruff of the neck and score a few more to make sure of the win.
But it was the opposite as the visitors fought tooth and nail while the Red Devils went into their shell and they eventually equalised after a mistake from both Harry Maguire and the Dane.
The England international was brought back into the starting line-up for the game after Erik ten Hag had trusted Matthijs de Ligt for the last two Premier League encounters.
Maguire’s final season
And while Maguire was decent for most of the game, his erroneous decision to slide in meant Sam Lammers had no barrier once he won the ball off Eriksen.
There was no need for the former Leicester City star to have made that challenge and while it was not a direct mistake, it was certainly avoidable.
The 31-year-old’s current United contract is valid until 2025 and while the 20-time English league champions hold the option of triggering a one-year extension, HITC Football believe they are unlikely to do so.
In other words, this is likely to be the Englishman’s final season in Manchester and he will be joined by Victor Lindelof in heading out of the Old Trafford door.
The Swede, who recently returned to training after a pre-season toe injury, has fallen way below in the pecking order and is unlikely to receive too many minutes in his preferred centre-back position, especially once Leny Yoro returns.
Lindelof set to leave as well
Ten Hag has even hinted that the former Benfica ace could be used as a makeshift left-back if needed and with his deal ending next summer, Lindelof’s seven-year stint seems to be coming to an end.
United had triggered the one-year option in his contract in a bid to recoup a fee from his sale but the 30-year-old’s wage demands meant no club could afford him and the club was forced to keep him.
“United are due to move on from both Victor Lindelof and Harry Maguire next summer. The pair are out-of-contract and HITC is told there are no plans to offer them extensions at this point.”
Jarrad Branthwaite will once again be targeted by INEOS after missing out on him this summer as they seek to revamp the backline again.
Feature image Carl Recine via Getty Images
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