Following Manchester United's dramatic 3-3 UEFA Europa League draw at Porto, Ben Bloom analyses whether Erik ten Hag can get a statement result in Sunday's match at Aston Villa.
Tasked with yet again defending his managerial record on Thursday night after Manchester United’s winless streak extended to four matches, Erik ten Hag made a plea.
“We will get there,” he insisted, having watched his side throw away a 2-0 lead before salvaging a point when reduced to 10 men following Bruno Fernandes' sending-off.
“Don’t judge us in this moment. Judge us at the end of the season.”
It was the type of reasonable request any football manager might make, eager to point out that fluctuations in form could simply prove to be natural undulations of an ultimately successful longer-term project.
In his defence, Ten Hag has pointed to the EFL Cup and FA Cup silverware he has delivered in his first two seasons, but in the Premier League Man Utd have struggled to replicate this success.
Their eighth-place finish last season was their worst in Premier League history, and United have won only three of their opening 10 matches in all competitions of this campaign.
So, for Ten Hag, an undeniable paradox is starting to arise as media speculate over his future: How much does a manager need a short-term result to earn the right to be judged over the longer term?
While still early days in the current campaign, United are languishing in 13th place with only seven points, their joint-fewest after the first six matches of a season.
They could drop further down the Premier League table with defeat against an Aston Villa team full of confidence after beating six-time European champions Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League in midweek.
Yet if they summon a win over a team who sit only two points off the league leaders, Ten Hag can head into the international break in the top half of the table, within sight of the top four and possessing a sense of optimism.
Man Utd did not have an easy start. Of their six Premier League opponents so far this season, four are placed in the top half, including table-topping Liverpool.
The schedule looks more favourable when his players return from international duty, with matches against Brentford, West Ham United, Chelsea, Leicester City and Ipswich Town.
Only one of those clubs - Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea - have earned more points than United so far this season.
Man Utd's upcoming fixtures
Ten Hag is also set to have the boost of some much-needed defensive reinforcements for a backline that has proved troublingly leaky.
Since he took charge, no Premier League team have conceded three or more goals in a match more times than United in all competitions. They also top the table among current Premier League sides for conceding twice in a match during that time.
Ten Hag has already stated Luke Shaw is expected to return after the international break, while he should soon have further left-back options courtesy of long-term absentee Tyrell Malacia.
The manager also recently confirmed big-money summer signing Leny Yoro’s recovery is “going in the right direction”, with a November return anticipated for the French centre-back.
By the start of December, the mood could have transformed at Old Trafford. But first comes this weekend’s critical Villa test.
| Position Pos | Club | Played Pl | GD | Points Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 |
Man Utd
MUN
|
6 | -3 | 7 |
| 14 |
West Ham
WHU
|
6 | -4 | 5 |
| 15 |
Ipswich
IPS
|
6 | -5 | 4 |
| 16 |
Everton
EVE
|
6 | -8 | 4 |
| 17 |
Leicester
LEI
|
6 | -4 | 3 |
| 18 |
Crystal Palace
CRY
|
6 | -4 | 3 |
Coincidentally, for a manager asking for more time before he is judged, Ten Hag faces a counterpart in Unai Emery who has totally reshaped his club despite being appointed months after the United boss in 2022.
Although he took charge of a side languishing near the relegation zone, Emery guided Villa to European football that season and then the heights of the UEFA Champions League the following campaign.
“I have a lot of respect for [Ten Hag],” said Emery, ahead of this weekend’s encounter. “We have lost the last four home and away games to them, and they are a winning team. They beat Manchester City to win the FA Cup.
“The club is usually a winning club. They are not getting consistent form in the Premier League but I have had to think about how I prepare for this match more than the Bayern Munich [game].”
'We have to keep going'
Ten Hag has remained defiant. Before the Porto match, he spoke of the club’s hierarchy forming a “union” as they seek to return to former glories.
“If you lose your faith, you lose everything,” he said. “We have to keep going and stick to the plan.”
He reiterated his stance after the Porto draw: “We will improve. We have had two seasons where we have reached finals, we will continue and fight.
“You see the spirit and the connection between the staff and the team. The players are together, they have a strong spirit and they want to achieve.”
Ten Hag could argue that United’s ability to grab a stoppage-time equaliser through Harry Maguire was a manifestation of that spirit.
There is every chance his vision will come to fruition over the coming months, with Sunday’s trip to Villa Park proving to be a pivotal moment in that plan and a reward for those who kept the faith.