Erik Ten Hag: Man Utd must step up

Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag said that his boys must “step up” and score more goals after a goalless stalemate against Aston Villa left the team with the second-lowest goal output in the Premier League and extended their run to three league games without the ball finding the back of the net. 

United have netted just five goals in their seven league games this season and recorded their worst start to a PL campaign since the 1989-90 season. 

Despite not the desired result, Ten Hag said there are positives for the team to look at and the picture will improve again when they begin scoring goals. 

"We know in this moment we have a lack of goals, in that perspective it's not a good start, we have to step up," Ten Hag said. "That's an area we have to improve. But we have four clean sheets. That's good because we have to defend proper.

"We create loads of chances in our seven games but we have to step up. We have to take into consideration [Rasmus] Højlund is returning, he's still coming up to full fitness, but others are stepping up. I was impressed with [Marcus] Rashford, also [Alejandro] Garnacho is so good, and Antony at the end.

"It will come. There are more reasons, sometimes it's the form. We will get there. We trust the players and one day it will click."

Despite hardly any goal threat, United registered their third successive away clean sheet in the league, even though the side was rattled by an early injury to former skipper and centre-half Harry Maguire, who was seen leaving Villa Park in a protective boot. 

"I think it's the fourth clean sheet this season," Ten Hag said. "You see we had a very good organisation and togetherness. There was good character and good spirit as a team. We were determined, and resilient.

"Four clean sheets, that tells something about the defending and about the organisation, the defending of defensive transitions. We are doing really well, we are really improving on that point, our build up play is good, we are calm and composed.

"We are creating chances and we should have created more. But that area in the box of the opponent, we have to be more ruthless, more clinical, more killing and we have to work on this."

With minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliff and senior directors of the club in the stands amid speculation that Ten Hag’s job was at gunpoint, the Dutch tactician said he had no reason to believe that. 

"We are all on board together, on one page, we know what we are working through it's a long-term process," Ten Hag said. "We have come through two very tough away games. This is a team, we showed the belief and faith we have.

"I don't have any idea that is different [to the board backing him]. We communicate very openly and transparently."