Eight points from their opening seven games is United’s worst return since the 1989-90 campaign when Sir Alex Ferguson – who was also present at Villa Park – came under huge pressure before eventually winning the FA Cup.

Only once, in 1972-73, have United scored fewer than five goals in their first seven matches. They have failed to score in their last three matches and no United player has scored more than one league goal during the current campaign.

The nearest they came against Aston Villa were a couple of Marcus Rashford efforts that were well saved by Emiliano Martinez and a late break where Alejandro Garnacho failed to find skipper Bruno Fernandes with a cross-field pass that would have provided a clear run on the home goal.

“After this block of games, that is where we are really short,” said Ten Hag.

“Apart from today, we are creating chances, but in the opponents’ box we have to be more ruthless, more clinical. We have to work on this.”

Ten Hag went to applaud the United fans at the final whistle. His assistant and former United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy is one of the prime candidates to replace Ten Hag should United decide a change needs to be made. The visiting supporters sang Van Nistelrooy’s name when he went to acknowledge them.

United have three Premier League home games during the next group of matches until the November international break. In addition, they have a Europa League tie in Istanbul on 24 October against a Fenerbahce side now managed by former United manager Jose Mourinho.

Despite spending almost £110m on striking duo Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee, neither looks a particular threat.

At Villa Park, Hojlund started his first Premier League game since recovering from a hamstring injury sustained during a pre-season game against Arsenal in July. Zirkzee was one of six Ten Hag signings on the bench that have cost the club a combined £330m.

“We trust the players and one day it will click,” he said.

“There are reasons. I would say Rasmus Hojlund is our best goalscorer but he is just in the season and is not up to 100% match fitness. [Marcus] Rashford scored in Porto [on Thursday] and had a good assist. Today he created good chances. [Alejandro] Garnacho is a threat all season and Bruno [Fernandes] has the ability to score goals.

“We will get there.”

PAMPERED Premier League stars must go through airport security despite arguing for special treatment.

Footie chiefs had argued they should be excused from anti-terrorism security laws on UK private charter flights for fear of an increased risk of injury.

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Premier League boss Richard Masters said security probes could spark long queues before and after internal flights — meaning stars were in danger of being accosted by fans.

Players such as Harry Maguire got a reprieve last season.

But the government has now insisted they should be scanned like everyone else.

A source said: “This is not a good look for the Premier League.

“The government clamped down on potential security loopholes, with small planes included in checks.

“Richard Masters’ lobbying raised eyebrows within the government.

“It beggars belief he thinks footballers should be treated differently from the rest.

“He even threatened to go to No 10.

“It was an ill-conceived point to pick a fight on.

“He was initially successful, but the footballers are now having to toe the line.”

The rules were brought in last year.

After the year’s exemption, players are now subject to the same additional screening as anyone else — even on short flights from regional airfields.

Government sources confirmed to The Sun that special security arrangements were in place for some private charter flights used by football teams in the past — but this is no longer the case.

The Department for Transport said: “Aviation security is of paramount importance to keep passengers safe.

“That is why all aircraft passengers are fully screened before they travel.”

The Premier League was approached for comment.

England’s Tyrrell Hatton survived a late scare before securing a record third Alfred Dunhill Links Championship title at St Andrews.

Hatton, 32, had equalled the course record on Saturday to hold a one-shot lead going into the final day and he went three ahead thanks to four birdies in his first 11 holes.

However, a double bogey at the 13th and a bogey at the 14th enabled Nicolas Colsaerts to grab a share of the lead with three holes remaining.

But the 2016 and 2017 champion birdied the last hole from three feet to finish on 24 under – one shot ahead of his Belgian rival who left a long eagle putt from the Valley of Sin eight feet below the hole and was unable to convert the birdie attempt.

Hatton also finished second in the team event alongside his father Jeff, the pair finishing two shots behind Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen and Irish businessman Dermot Desmond.

“It’s the first time I’ve actually won the tournament with my dad here so it means a lot and to do it at the home of golf is really special,” said Hatton, who has been part of two winning Ryder Cup teams.

“I’m trying not to cry, to be honest. I’m a bit lost for words.”

The win ensures he will be at the DP World Tour’s season-ending event in Dubai and means he can also attend the upcoming wedding of Ryder Cup team-mate Matt Fitzpatrick.

He went on: “I was meant to be going to Fitzy’s wedding the week of Spain [the Andalucia Masters] and I had to message him a few weeks ago to say if I don’t earn enough points I might not be able to go, and I felt so bad about that.

“I guess having a little bit of extra motivation to play well and be able to be there for their special day [was good].”

THIS is a mid-table squad at an underachieving club, with a lot of unwanted players on big money.

And Ratcliffe is an instinctive cost-cutter who may not pay top dollar to the next manager.

If this club wasn’t called ‘Manchester United’, it wouldn’t be an especially desirable job.

The good news for United is that their new sporting director, Dan Ashworth, is a very decent judge of a manager.

He has been instrumental in three previous managerial appointments — Gareth Southgate for England, Graham Potter for Brighton and Eddie Howe for Newcastle.

None were wildly popular at the time, all were conspicuous successes.

Interestingly, Ashworth’s No 1 choice for the Newcastle job was Unai Emery, who turned him down to stay at Villarreal but has since proved that judgment right by excelling at Aston Villa.

Emery may well deliver the coup de grace to Ten Hag on Sunday — especially with Bruno Fernandes suspended and Kobbie Mainoo an injury doubt.

And the Spaniard would be an excellent fit for United — yet there is next to no chance that he would abandon Villa’s Champions League campaign to take the Old Trafford job, not least because he isn’t a stark raving madman.

Howe would be another good candidate to succeed Ten Hag but, although he has become frustrated on Tyneside, the Saudis would surely not allow Ratcliffe to poach Howe, as they reluctantly did with Ashworth.

Potter is available but his Chelsea experience and lack of charisma would make him a tough sell.

Which brings us to Southgate, who remains close with Ashworth and is an excellent man-manager who was seriously considered by United last spring.

Yet, despite having led England to two of their three major finals, Southgate’s reputation for over-caution was only enhanced during the Euros.

Mauricio Pochettino, passed over twice by United, is out of the equation having taken the United States job.

Thomas Tuchel would be a popular and gettable option but, despite being a fine coach and a very engaging man, he is considered something of a loose cannon.

Likewise, Roberto De Zerbi, now at Marseille after his brief Brighton stint sparkled then fizzled out.

Kieran McKenna — a gifted former United coach who has won back-to-back promotions with Ipswich Town — is an intriguing candidate but the imminent vacancy may come a year or so too soon.

Marco Silva, the extremely under-rated Fulham boss, has been on United’s radar and should not be discounted.

Sporting Lisbon’s Ruben Amorim, last season’s ‘next big thing’, was passed over by West Ham as well as Liverpool this summer and is not an easy man to pin down.

Zinedine Zidane, who has taken over from Alan Curbishley as a 20-1 shot for every Premier League job, is a ‘figurehead’ manager and not an Ashworth type.

Ruud van Nistelrooy, the former United goal machine who joined Ten Hag’s coaching team in the summer is the bookies’ favourite. Simply because he’s in the building and he’s Dutch.

So, yes, getting rid of Ten Hag is the easy part.

Valkyrie made most of the early running, with Izzy Brennan’s shrewdly-placed kicks repeatedly putting the Saints defence under pressure, but they were unable to take advantage and fell behind after 10 minutes.

Losing possession just inside their own half, the defending champions were punished as Paige Travis picked out Burke, who motored down the left wing to maintain her record of scoring in every meeting with Valkyrie this season.

Owen struck back, pouncing to cross from close range after Saints fumbled another Brennan kick and the conversion edged Valkyrie in front, only for Rhiannon Marshall to spill another good opportunity close to the line soon afterwards.

St Helens found more rhythm as half-time approached and overturned the deficit to lead 8-6 at the break, with Gaskin – in her final game before retirement – nailing two kicks in quick succession after penalties against Gentles.

Yet the lead changed hands again just after the turnaround as Marshall’s kick bamboozled two Saints players and Owen grabbed the loose ball, feeding Partington who did superbly to stay inside the line and force her way over in the corner.

Georgie Hetherington’s incisive run, scything deep into Saints territory, then set up a chance for Gentles to touch down under the posts – and, despite an on-field decision to rule out the try, it was overturned by video referee Ben Thaler.

With their treble hopes fast disappearing, Saints stormed forward but they were repelled by a tenacious Valkyrie defence, with Carrie Roberts producing a try-saving tackle to foil Burke and Hetherington holding up Chantelle Crowl over the line.

Crowl then conceded a penalty for a high challenge but, although Brennan squandered the chance to earn her side additional breathing space by miscuing the kick, Valkyrie were not to be denied.