Aston Villa v Man Utd LIVE: Result and reaction after dreary draw keeps pressure on Erik ten Hag

Up and running at Villa Park.

Out the players come into the autumn air, warmed by some pitchside flames. Can Manchester United find some hope after four gloomy games without a win?

The Manchester United bigwigs are in the building: Jim Ratcliffe, Dan Ashworth, Omar Berrada, Jason Wilcox, Dave Brailsford. The firing squad?

Richard Jolly, our Senior Football Correspondent, is in position for us at Villa Park this afternoon, his second visit in a week after watching Unai Emery’s men evoke old glories against Bayern Munich in the Champions League. His pre-match focus is, understandably, on the visitors, though:

“A damning selection from Erik ten Hag, with Lisandro Martinez and Matthijs de Ligt dropped for Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans, the 2018/19 Leicester centre-back partnership. A chance at Villa Park for Bruno Fernandes to get a third red card in a week, too.”

“Rotation,” Erik ten Hag says as an explanation for his switch of centre-halves. “We have so many games to cover, so we looked at what was needed for this game and made a choice. There is always pressure, but there is no more pressure that at any other time.

“Porto was also a very important game, Spurs was an important game. Every game is an important game. We are calm, we are composed - not only the team, everyone is the club.

“We have to improve as a team, we have to improve the process. You need that strong mentality but we are only focussing on improving in the game and moving forward. Aston Villa are a very good team. It’s a challenge. They beat Bayern Munich.”

So another chance for Morgan Rogers to impress as the Aston Villa forward continues to burgeon his reputation. It sounds like Rogers wasn’t far away at all from making Lee Carsley’s England squad on Thursday:

Jamie Carragher has accused the owners of Manchester United of taking the “easy way out” after they elected not to move on from Erik ten Hag during the summer.

Ten Hag spent much of last season under pressure after mixed performances and results from his side, and Manchester United explored alternative managerial options before electing to keep the Dutchman in charge.

The club’s FA Cup win strengthened the manager’s case to remain in his role but there have been few signs of improvement in the opening weeks of the new season.

Erik ten Hag remains confident he has the backing of Manchester United’s hierarchy and that improvements are on their way after a problematic night in Porto intensified talk about his position.

The 54-year-old’s future is the subject of widespread discussion just three months after Ineos committed to the Dutchman, extending his contract following an in-depth post-season review.

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has told his team to keep the pressure on under-fire Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag.

The Dutchman brings his United side to Villa Park today with intense speculation on his position after a desperate start to the season.

Defeat against Villa, who are on a high after beating Bayern Munich in the Champions League, would send Ten Hag closer to the edge.

A new centre-half pairing for Erik ten Hag, with the Manchester United manager the experience of Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans at the back.

Manchester United XI: Onana; Mazraoui, Maguire, Evans, Dalot; Eriksen, Mainoo; Garnacho, Fernandes, Rashford; Hojlund.