Nachrichten

It can often be the gesture of a team at breaking point, a final show of public defiance when behind the scenes the walls are crumbling. For the first time this season, in the 11th game they have played, Manchester United's players came together for a pre-match huddle at Villa Park.

The last time all 11 players assembled for a huddle was ahead of the second half at Bournemouth in April, which was unconventional in itself. United manged to win that 45 minutes 1-0 and on Sunday they ground out a dire goalless draw against Aston Villa, so maybe it will become a more regular feature.

To opt for a huddle at this stage of the season is telling in itself. Everyone knew that this was a day when the manager's job was on the line. Erik ten Hag got emotional when speaking to the players after a draw in Porto that yielded an equaliser late enough to feel like a win, but still managed to feel like a defeat.

ALSO READ: I heard Tuchel talk like a United manager - he made total sense

ALSO READ: Manchester United lining up Thomas Tuchel to replace Erik ten Hag

United's players gathered near the centre circle for their show of unity but when Bruno Fernandes won the toss and told Villa to attack the Holte End in the first half, they had to move positions. Fernandes then joined the group and a few messages were relayed.

Judging by the spirit on show in the Midlands - if not the quality - it was no hollow gesture. It didn't look like a squad that had given up on their manager or had no fight left to give. This was an entirely unforgettable came but a team low of confidence did dig in and show some grit. It was a solid point, even if the performance, particularly in an attacking sense, felt underwhelming.

Defensively it was very good, led by the outstanding Jonny Evans on his return to the side. The 36-year-old was a surprise inclusion at Villa Park and then surprised by the huddle as well, suggesting it wasn't something that had been pre-planned by the squad.

"I don’t know who organised that, it wasn’t planned so I’m guessing it was Bruno," Evans said after the goalless draw.

"I’m sure Bruno, if he organised it, it was a way to get a message across before we went on the pitch. I’ve been involved in huddles in the past and it’s a way to come together before you go out and play."

United's players came together and stayed together. Gone were the big gaps on show in the Estadio do Dragao and the clean sheet at a side who had just beaten Bayern Munich was pleasing, particularly a centre-back such as Evans.

As a United stalwart in his second spell at the club, he is one of the most experienced voices in the dressing room. Since the 3-0 defeat to Tottenham this has been a squad and manager under pressure, but Evans said it was about showing a response on the pitch rather than any significant meetings at Carrington in the week.

"As a player you know what you’ve got to do," he said. "We’ve all been playing football for a long time. For us it’s about not giving in, sticking together. My experience is that you always show that on the pitch and it was pleasing we did that."

United's approach at Villa was far more cautious than it had been in the Europa League in midweek, when they created plenty of chances against Porto but also looked vulnerable at the back.

A lack of threat at the other end means Ten Hag's side have now scored only five goals in seven Premier League fixtures, with only Southampton having a worse tally at this stage of the season, but Evans is hoping a clean sheet will build confidence at the other end of the pitch going forward.

"We put a lot into out defending today, we saw our two forwards working back and helping the team, in order to get that clean sheet you’re going to maybe sacrifice a bit," he said.

"For us it’s finding that balance. The confidence we get from that clean sheet hopefully in turn that can give us the belief when we’re going forward. Sometimes you have to do that, grind it out, go back to basics and we did that today."