In a candid acknowledgment of Manchester United’s offensive challenges, manager Erik ten Hag admitted that the Red Devils need to significantly improve their attacking prowess after a barren 0-0 draw with Aston Villa left them without a victory in five matches. The stalemate at Villa Park accentuates a troubling start to the season for United, with the team’s meager return of five goals in their first seven matches marking the club’s lowest tally for this stage in the Premier League era.
This lack of firepower has seen United falter in front of goal in three consecutive league outings, including another goalless draw against the yet-to-win Crystal Palace and a sobering 3-0 home defeat to Tottenham the previous weekend. “We know in this moment we have a lack of goals,” Ten Hag explained to Sky Sports. “From that perspective, it’s certainly not been a good start, and we have to improve in this area.”
Despite the mounting pressure, Ten Hag sought to highlight the positives, particularly a more organized defensive display following a chaotic 3-3 tie at Porto in the Europa League just days earlier. His strategic decision to bench Lisandro Martinez and Matthijs de Ligt proved beneficial, with veteran defender Jonny Evans, who returned to the team at age 36, earning man-of-the-match honors due to his commanding performance. “You can see we had a very good organization and togetherness,” Ten Hag commented, reflecting on the team’s cohesive effort. “There was good character and good team spirit.”
United’s co-owner, Jim Ratcliffe, was seen at Villa Park, fueling speculation regarding Ten Hag’s future with the club. Though the former Ajax manager received a contract extension until 2026 as recently as July, the scrutiny is mounting after he led the team to an eighth-place finish in the Premier League last season.
. As the Red Devils now occupy 14th place and head into a two-week international break, questions loom large over the trajectory of their season.
Meanwhile, Chelsea faced their own challenges, as Noni Madueke’s equaliser secured a 1-1 draw against a 10-man Nottingham Forest team. The result brought an end to the Blues’ five-match winning streak. Manager Enzo Maresca’s side had to rally after an early second-half strike by Chris Wood put Forest in the lead at Stamford Bridge. England winger Madueke managed to pull Chelsea level, but despite having a numerical advantage after Forest’s James Ward-Prowse was dismissed with 12 minutes left to play, they could not find a decisive second goal.
The match underscored Chelsea’s inability to capitalize on their opponent’s disadvantage and reflected their ongoing struggle to convert opportunities into goals. As both United and Chelsea face similar challenges in their pursuit of attacking proficiency, the focus remains on their managerial strategies and how they might adapt to achieve their respective offensive goals in the weeks to come.
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