Erik ten Hag finds himself in a pivotal situation as Manchester United's manager, with significant pressure to deliver a positive result Premier League clash against Aston Villa at Villa Park.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe will be closely observing the action at Villa Park this weekend, where another poor result for Manchester United could seal Erik ten Hag's fate, just months after his previous stay of execution. Things initially looked promising for the beleaguered Dutchman as United raced to a two-goal lead against Porto on Thursday, but a header from Pepe and a brace from Samu Omorodion turned the match around, with only Harry Maguire's late goal saving United from defeat.

Having conceded three goals in consecutive matches, United's dismal form follows a humiliating 3-0 home loss to Tottenham, where Bruno Fernandes' controversial red card changed the course of the game. With no wins in four across all competitions and sitting in a lowly 13th place in the Premier League, United have managed just three victories from their first ten matches, raising serious questions about Ten Hag’s future.

However, Ten Hag can take some solace from United's back-to-back away clean sheets against Crystal Palace and Southampton; they haven’t achieved three consecutive shut-outs on the road since March 2021. On the other hand, Aston Villa showcased their defensive strength by stifling Harry Kane and his teammates in a recent match that echoed their 1982 European Cup final victory, winning 1-0 against Bayern Munich. 

Despite their current success, Villa has struggled against Manchester United in recent meetings, losing to them in their last four encounters. A similar result on Sunday, like the 2-1 win last February, could give Ten Hag a much-needed reprieve.