Erik ten Hag’s future as Manchester United supervisor stays unsure following a goalless draw with high-flying Aston Villa within the Premier League.
United are actually with no win in 5 matches in all competitions, and with no aim in three league video games, as strain continues to mount on Ten Hag following a largely drab contest at Villa Park.
The outcome leaves United in 14th spot and marks their worst ever begin to a Premier League marketing campaign, whereas Villa, unbeaten of their final eight video games, stay in fifth.
Unai Emery will maybe be the happier of the 2 managers however United can take coronary heart from what was a extra assured defensive show after transport three objectives in opposition to each Spurs and Porto final week.
Full-Time: Stalemate at Villa Park! ❌ pic.twitter.com/1yLcpbpAhJ
— Sky Sports activities Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 6, 2024
The way it occurred
Villa got here into the sport stuffed with confidence after a memorable victory over Bayern Munich within the Champions League on Wednesday.
However, regardless of the hosts benefitting from an additional day’s restoration, it was the guests who began brightest when an error from the returning Matty Money contained in the opening 5 minutes introduced Marcus Rashford with an opportunity to run on the Villa defence.
United’s quantity ten charged down on the penalty space, chopping in from the left earlier than thrashing a right-footed shot that goalkeeper Emi Martinez needed to palm away.
It was maybe the very best probability of an in any other case uneventful first half, one which noticed Villa lose Ezri Konsa to what gave the impression to be a hamstring damage after simply ten minutes.
The house facet provided little or no going ahead early on, with their most promising moments coming through speculative efforts from distance.
First, Morgan Rogers, following some neat link-up play with Ollie Watkins, hit a shot that grazed the near-post facet netting earlier than Jaden Philogene, making solely his third begin in claret and blue, fizzed a wobble-ball that flew large of the highest nook.
Nonetheless, it was United who largely managed proceedings albeit with out establishing any fluent attacking rhythm to their play.
Emery’s facet, in the meantime, appeared content material to be affected person and frustrate their opponents.
On 36 minutes, Harry Maguire, who got here into the beginning line-up after his stoppage time equaliser in Portugal in midweek, was booked for a foul on Ollie Watkins earlier than the United defender hobbled off because the half-time whistle blew.
“Strictly was final night time, wasn’t it?” 😂
An attention-grabbing free-kick routine from Aston Villa 🕺 pic.twitter.com/KAVx6QOk0t
— Sky Sports activities Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 6, 2024
Ten Hag made two modifications on the break, with Matthijs de Ligt and Victor Lindelöf changing Noussair Mazraoui and the injured Maguire.
Three minutes after the restart, Rashford once more compelled save from Martinez when he unleashed a fierce strike, whereas on the different finish, a slick nook routine from Villa discovered Youri Tielemans with house on the sting of the field however his strike drew a largely rudimentary cease from Onana.
Watkins then blasted over from a good angle as Villa’s momentum started to develop.
Rashford was fortunate to flee a second yellow card in as many minutes when he introduced down Leon Bailey on the sting of the United penalty space.
Bailey was then changed by Villa’s midweek hero, Jhon Duran, simply after the hour mark however even the in-form Colombian, rapidly turning into a fan-favourite within the midlands, did not spark the sport into life.
Ten Hag additionally dipped into his bench, totalling £333m, as he launched Antony and Joshua Zirkzee instead of Rashford and Hojlund within the hope of breaking the impasse.
OFF THE BAR!
An excellent effort from Bruno Fernandes ☄️ pic.twitter.com/GjmJk5fuEE
— Sky Sports activities Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 6, 2024
And it was Bruno Fernandes, chopping a pissed off determine all afternoon, who went closest to doing so when his elegant free-kick cannoned off the crossbar with the outstretched Martinez nicely overwhelmed.
Approaching 68-minutes, it was the sport’s first actual second of high quality till second half stoppage time when Villa very almost grabbed all three factors proper on the demise.
A high quality passing transfer on the sting of United field culminated with the ball falling to Philogene ten yards from aim just for Diogo Dalot’s very important last-ditch block to divert the goal-bound effort large.
