Manchester United endured a second Premier League stalemate this season, with Erik ten Hag’s men frustrated at Villa Park.
Aston Villa achieved a memorable midweek victory against Bayern Munich and have carried their impressive form from last season’s fourth-placed finish.
Naturally, the starting XI received ample scrutinising, with Lisandro Martinez and Matthijs de Ligt dropping to the bench for Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans.
But this is the norm in 2024 – with a barrage of online experts routinely sharing their two cents regarding the complexities of elite football management.
The under-pressure Dutchman was correct in his defensive preparations, with Maguire and Evans confident in possessions – holding Villa to zero shots on target in the opening 45.
Marcus Rashford was electric with his midweek display against Porto, leaving many questioning Ten Hag’s decision to replace him at the Estadio do Dragao.
Once more he was the brightest spark in a meagre attacking half of football, testing Emiliano Martinez with a similar effort to his strike in Portugal.
Undeniably, Villa’s inability to affect the game will be disregarded for fatigue following a midweek fixture with Bayern – as is usually the case. But it was a structured half of football from United, who were lacking the killer touch in the final third.
The impressive Maguire sat out the second half after pulling up during the final passage of the first, paving the way for De Ligt, with Victor Lindelof replacing Noussair Mazraoui.
But, if the opening 45 was a sample of tactical shape and discipline, the second was two sides highlighting an inability to maintain quality in possession.
I could write aimlessly about half-squandered opportunities or misplaced passes, but it was possession without intent from both sides.
Ultimately, the most notable talking -point from a purposeless half was referee Rob Jones’ electrical malfunction, delaying the closing moments.
United did have an opportunity to win the game in the dying monents of stoppage time – but Alejandro Garnacho’s abject outing saw him fail to lift the ball to an open Bruno Fernandes on the counter.
Given the nature of the performances from both sides, it is a result they will begrudgingly accept.
An international break with an uncertain outcome
The consequential statistics make for a worrying read for Ten Hag and Reds across the globe, with the Old Trafford outfit languishing in 14th position with eight points.
To put this into perspective, that is the lowest accumulation United have had at this stage of a Premier League season.
Furthermore, the side’s five goals in seven outings are the least at this stage after 1972-73, which saw the team relegated.
We have played out this storyline many times since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson, with an accomplished manager struggling to inject life into his United side.
That said, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe in attendance alongside his powerhouse Ineos backroom team, there was little room for anything other than an assured performance.
As someone privileged to write about this great football club, I always attempt to stay consistent in my delivery.
Whether through text, radio or podcast, I want to apply perspective to the players, the manager, the club and anything related to the trio.
My first fixture saw Pete Molyneux raise his historic banner in frustration with Sir Alex Ferguson, and maybe that has laid the foundations for my appreciation of football.
Like you, I want this great club to return to its days of perennial domination – I do not hide this.
Has this glazed over my inability to down tools on any of our previous managers? No. I remain level because I want to see a project come to fruition.
That said, I also appreciate the inevitability of weekly frustrations and the concerns of paying customers.
Make no mistake, the outcome of this game did not decide the future of Ten Hag in Manchester – it would be absurd to believe this.
Ineos crave a framework for future success, and whether or not supporters wish to accept it, their primary goal was to improve the first team in 2024-25.
However, there is an expectation regarding the standing of this damaged football club.
Could the board avoid deciding on Ten Hag? Yes, most certainly. But it remains unclear if he retains the dressing room and the confidence of those above him.
As we enter another international break with supporters and media uncertain, one can only wonder if Ruud van Nistelrooy will lead the side against Brentford in 13 days.
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