August 3, 2024; Columbia, SC, USA; Manchester United midfielder Christian Eriksen (14) scores with the ball during the second half against Liverpool at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images United will be looking for a result to take some pressure off manager Erik ten Hag when they travel to Aston Villa on Sunday, who are on course for their best European win in decades.
The Red Devils (2 wins, 3 draws, 1 loss, 7 points) have now played four games in all competitions, including two games in the league, without a single victory, entering the 7th round of the Premier League , the ranking dropped to 13th place.
However, there may be some feeling of unfairness following last weekend's 3-0 home defeat to Tottenham Hotspur. The game got off to a slow start, with Hag's ten-man team conceding a goal in the third minute, before United captain Bruno Fernandez was sent off before half-time, turning the game one-sided.
The Premier League has since overturned referee Chris Kavanagh's decision to sack the influential Portuguese attacker for a tackle. Fernandez will play in the Central Region on Sunday.
But Ten Hag admits harsh refereeing decisions alone cannot explain the recent decline, which has also seen two draws at the start of the Europa League, the latest being Manchester United's 3-3 draw against Porto in the second leg on Thursday night.
“We have to improve, that's for sure,” Ten Hag said. “Also, you could also say we were very disciplined in our position in the first 25 minutes (against Tottenham). We created chances and at the right moments we accelerated the pace of the game, so it wasn't just indiscipline. Of course, we can improve, and if we want to be successful, we have to improve.
Manchester United will visit Villa after beating German giants Bayern Munich 1-0 at home in the Champions League on Wednesday. In the 79th minute, a stunning goal from substitute John Duran decided the outcome of the game.
The win keeps Villa (4-1-1, 13 points) perfect in the UCL League One stage as they try to avoid the fate of Newcastle United and Brighton & Hove Albion last season. Both played in Europe last season – Newcastle making their first appearance on the continent after a lengthy layoff and Brighton making their first appearance on the continent – but both fell back in the league table.
“Consistency in the Premier League is my first goal,” Villa coach Unai Emery said. “We are in the Champions League and we really enjoyed Wednesday and our first game in Bern. We won two games and got six points, but it doesn't change my mind or my opinion.”
Duran has scored four league goals as a substitute and could be a candidate for a first start if Emery chooses to rotate his squad for the final league game before the October international break.
–Scene-level media