Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag. Photo: AFP
Manchester United ground out a 0-0 draw at Aston Villa with the club suffering their worst start to a season in the Premier League era and speculation rife about the future of under-fire manager Erik ten Hag.
The draw sends Unai Emery's men into the international break in fifth in the table on 14 points after seven games, while United are languishing in 14th with eight points.
Their points tally is United's lowest in their opening seven matches of a Premier League campaign and their lowest in any league season since 1989-90 (seven points), when they went on to finish 13th under Alex Ferguson - his lowest league finish as manager.
"I think it's the fourth clean sheet this season," Ten Hag said as he looked for positives. "You see we had a very good organisation and togetherness. There was good character and good spirit as a team. Determined, resilient."
United captain Bruno Fernandes had the best chance of the game for either team, clanging a free kick off the crossbar from outside the box in the 68th minute. Antony then missed the target with the rebound and with keeper Emi Martinez out of his goal.
United's woeful start to the season has put Ten Hag back in the spotlight and the team's entire senior leadership - co-owner Jim Ratcliffe, CEO Omar Berrada, sporting director Dan Ashworth, and technical director Jason Wilcox - were in attendance at Villa Park for what many believed was a pivotal game for the manager.
"It does affect the players," United defender Jonny Evans said of the rumours about the manager's future. "It's on our minds too."
Elsewhere Brighton & Hove Albion staged a storming second-half comeback with Danny Welbeck sealing a 3-2 home win over Tottenham Hotspur.
Brighton's first win in five league games lifted them above Spurs into sixth place in the table with 12 points from seven games, while Tottenham are in ninth spot on 10.
All White Chris Wood scored as Nottingham Forest earned a 1-1 draw at Chelsea despite going down to 10 men in the 78th minute.
Chelsea are fourth with 14 points, while Forest are tenth with 10.
- Reuters