Erik ten Hag said Manchester United must “step up” and score more goals after a 0-0 draw at Aston Villa left the team with the second-lowest goal output in the Premier League and extended their run to three league games without scoring.
United have scored just five goals in seven league games so far this season and have now recorded their worst start to a campaign since 1989-90.
But with minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe watching alongside United’s senior directors at Villa Park, manager Ten Hag said there are positives for the team to cling to and the picture will improve again when they start 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 the lack of goal threat, United recorded their third successive away clean sheet in the league, even though the team was disrupted by a first-half injury to centre-half Harry Maguire, who left Villa Park wearing 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, 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 Ratcliffe in the stands amid speculation that Ten Hag’s position was under threat, the former Ajax coach said he had no reason to believe his job was under threat.
“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.”
