The most obvious positive point of Manchester United in the draw with Porto was the performance of Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund.
The "Red Devils" had a dream start in their away match at Dragao Stadium. They opened the scoring in the 7th minute thanks to a solo run through 2 people, then finished into a narrow corner by Rashford. This was the English striker's fourth goal of the season.
In the 20th minute, from a pass from Christian Eriksen, Hojlund shot the ball into a narrow corner, leaving goalkeeper Diogo Costa unable to react. This was the first time the Danish striker started this season after suffering a hamstring injury.
Therefore, after scoring, Hojlund ran to the touchline to celebrate with David Binningsley, the physiotherapist responsible for his recovery.
Man United have struggled to score goals since Ten Hag's arrival and if the Dutch strategist wants to turn things around, he will need Rashford and Hojlund to maintain this form. Especially in the context of summer signing Joshua Zirkzee still unable to integrate.
Ten Hag's early withdrawal of Rashford and Hojlund shows that he will need these two strikers to recharge against Aston Villa. This will be a match that Man United are not allowed to lose.
In addition to the highlight in attack, Man United also showed some fighting spirit against Porto. After losing 2-3 and having only 10 men after Bruno Fernandes' red card, M.U still did not give up.
Their efforts were rewarded with an extra-time equaliser from Harry Maguire. There are certainly a lot of problems to deal with, but at least Ten Hag can point to some positive spirit at the moment.
After 4 consecutive matches without a win, Ten Hag needs the players to show a brave spirit when visiting Villa Park. Unai Emery's side had a memorable Champions League match after defeating Bayern Munich.
It is worth mentioning that, under pressure when entering the match against Porto, Ten Hag moved to a midfield consisting of Eriksen, Casemiro and Fernandes. These are all players who performed well in Ten Hag's first season at Old Trafford. Therefore, it would be no surprise if Maguire was in the starting lineup at Villa Park.
Although they saved 1 point against Porto, in the end, Man United still could not find the winning feeling. They have won just three games this season. Last May's FA Cup final win over Manchester City at Wembley is a distant memory.
Ten Hag's side have suffered humiliation in their two 3-0 home defeats to Liverpool and Tottenham in the Premier League. And Maguire's goal against Porto at least saved them from another painful defeat.
However, their problems remain. They conceded too many goals and had a group of players playing superficially. Ten Hag must somehow boost his team's spirit before it's too late. What happens if Man United go 5 consecutive matches without a win?
