Aston Villa 0-0 Man United: Erik ten Hag survives make-or-break clash as spoils are shared in goalless draw against Unai Emery's hosts

In a play already littered pinch shuddering setbacks and individual humiliations, this will person felt for illustration a small for illustration a triumph for Erik 10 Hag.

A triumph successful truthful overmuch arsenic it wasn’t different defeat. A triumph successful truthful overmuch arsenic it wasn’t different day that near his caput spinning and his employment prospects tossed erstwhile much connected to nan autumn breeze. A triumph successful truthful overmuch arsenic it looked arsenic though his Manchester United players were possibly still playing for him, just.

The United head sewage a spot lucky. He was fortunate that this was not nan Aston Villa we person travel to cognize present this season. This was Villa-lite, down connected power and adrenaline aft their disposal of Bayern Munich successful nan Champions League past Wednesday. 

He was besides fortunate that Marcus Rashford was not sent disconnected for a lazy and stupid hack astatine an force pinch 25 minutes left. Rashford had already been booked and should person walked. 

And, finally, he was fortunate that a 93rd infinitesimal changeable by Villa’s Jaden Philagene did not find nan net. United defender Diogo Dalot blocked it but replays showed nan Portuguese had simply turned his backmost connected nan changeable and it struck him and flew wide.

So, yes, Ten Hag rode it a spot present and – pinch United’s number proprietor Sir Jim Ratcliffe sitting successful nan guidelines – it’s existent that immoderate of nan large statistic still guidelines against him. Fourteenth successful nan Premier League. Two wins from 7 and their worst points tally astatine this shape since 1989/90. Five convention goals, nan 2nd worst successful nan apical flight. None of this is good.

But nan truth is that cipher gets an easy thrust astatine Villa Park these days. Both Arsenal and Manchester City mislaid present past season. Arsenal had a mighty conflict to prevail against Unai Emery’s squad successful August. Bayern went location beaten and bowed.

And it is this that Ten Hag must cling to arsenic he heads into an world break. His squad were ever successful this game. Rashford was doubly adjacent and Bruno Fernandes deed nan bar. 

It was a desperately mediocre lucifer but nan United head won’t care. This was an day that had individual and master endurance arsenic its cardinal theme. In that regard, his squad whitethorn person conscionable astir person shown capable conflict to alteration him to limp towards Tuesday’s scheduled Old Trafford committee gathering and beyond.

Fresh from his peculiar declare past Friday that he will person nary opportunity successful position of Ten Hag’s future, Ratcliffe sat successful nan directors’ container pinch Sir Alex Ferguson. Both cognize really a United squad should look for illustration and this isn’t it. 

United spent a batch of money connected young talent this summertime yet started pinch Christian Eriksen successful midfield and Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans astatine nan centre of defence. It looked connected insubstantial for illustration a squad fresh to beryllium beaten.

The truth is that erstwhile off-season recruits specified Matthijs De Ligt and Joshua Zirkzee came connected later successful nan crippled – De Lijt astatine half-time aft a Maguire wounded – United sewage worse. By nan extremity they were nan squad looking for nan whistle.

Villa were not nan Villa we know. Ten Hag will declare immoderate in installments for that and pinch justification. Missing John McGinn, Jacob Ramsey and Amadou Onana, Villa were not astatine afloat strength. When England defender Ezri Konsa went disconnected aft 15 minutes, they were further depleted.

In a mediocre first half, United possibly had nan champion chances. Rashford drove infield aft only 3 minutes and Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez parried his correct ft drive. Later successful nan opening period, Alejandro Garnacho did likewise and Martinez held his changeable astatine nan adjacent post.

Villa were patchy arsenic an attacking threat, only Morgan Rogers threatening to break done pinch an early changeable that excited nan crowd but really recovered only nan broadside netting.

United’s reshuffle astatine half-time was portion enforced arsenic del Ligt replaced Maguire and portion tactical arsenic Victor Lindelof came connected astatine right-back for different summertime signing, Noussair Mazraoui. Rashford worked Martinez again instantly and Fernandes was to onslaught nan barroom pinch a beautiful right-foot free-kick successful nan 69th minute.

By then, however, United should person been playing pinch ten. Rashford’s foul connected Leon Bailey was deliberate and he should person gone. Ten Hag admitted later he substituted him for his ain good.

On nan whole, Villa improved marginally while United didn’t. Zirkzee looks drained of assurance already up beforehand while De Ligt looks slow and immobile. 

These early impressions whitethorn beryllium to beryllium misleading complete clip and United must dream that’s nan case. If their summertime arrivals don’t activity retired past it won’t really matter who nan head is.

Late successful nan portion here, Villa looked nan much likely. United’s play connected nan antagonistic was mostly wasteful.

Onana saved good from Youri Tielemans aft Villa worked a area nicely crossed past apical of nan punishment area towards nan Belgian’s correct foot. There were past a mates of overlaps down nan Villa near that didn’t activity and then, astatine death, 1 that did.

Tan Hag admitted later that Dalot’s artifact carried a small fortune. But astatine slightest nan defender was there. So is Ten Hag, for now. Afterwards nan United head said his squad had been much coagulated and he was right. This was their 4th convention cleanable sheet.

As for his declare that United will ‘click’ arsenic clip goes on, nan grounds to support that remains desperately scant.