As Manchester United prepare for their crucial Premier League clash against Aston Villa this Sunday, all eyes will be on Erik ten Hag, whose position as manager is becoming increasingly precarious. With the Red Devils managing just two wins out of their first six league games, pressure is mounting on the Dutch tactician to deliver a much-needed victory. The club’s recent 3-0 loss to Tottenham at Old Trafford only intensified the scrutiny on Ten Hag, following an underwhelming finish to last season where Manchester United ended up in eighth place. The stakes are high for Ten Hag, as another poor result at Villa Park could very well seal his fate, with Ineos chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe expected to be in attendance alongside key club executives.
The importance of this match cannot be overstated. Manchester United’s recent form has been troubling, with defensive frailties and lackluster performances from key players contributing to a series of disappointing results. Ten Hag’s tactics have come under fire, and there is growing concern among fans and pundits alike that the manager has been unable to find a solution to the club’s current woes. Aston Villa, in contrast, will come into this game full of confidence after an electrifying midweek Champions League win against Bayern Munich, a team previously unbeaten under the management of Vincent Kompany. This result is sure to boost Villa’s morale, and with home advantage, they will fancy their chances of adding to United’s misery.
Aston Villa’s 1-0 victory over Bayern was nothing short of historic. The atmosphere at Villa Park was electric, as supporters at the famous Holte End roared their team on in their first Champions League match at home in years. Emi Martinez, the ever-reliable goalkeeper, was the hero of the night, pulling off a series of remarkable saves to keep Bayern at bay. But it was the 20-year-old striker, Jhon Duran, who stole the headlines with a stunning long-range goal that left the German champions stunned. Duran, usually playing second fiddle to Villa’s main striker Ollie Watkins, has been in scintillating form this season despite limited game time. With six goals in just 297 minutes across all competitions, Duran has quickly established himself as a player to watch, averaging a goal every 50 minutes—an astonishing statistic for a player of his age.
What makes Duran’s rise even more intriguing for Manchester United fans is the fact that he could have been wearing the famous red shirt at Old Trafford. In late 2022, United were heavily linked with the young Colombian forward, who was then playing for Chicago Fire in the MLS. Along with Premier League rivals Chelsea and Liverpool, as well as European giants Benfica, United were interested in securing Duran’s services for a reported fee of around £10 million. However, while United hesitated, Aston Villa moved swiftly, snapping up the striker in January 2023. Instead of bringing in Duran, United opted to sign Wout Weghorst on loan in a desperate attempt to replace Cristiano Ronaldo, a move that ultimately proved ineffective.
Since then, Manchester United have spent significantly on strikers, shelling out a combined £108.5 million on Rasmus Højlund and Joshua Zirkzee over the past two summers. However, neither player has been able to make the same impact as Duran, whose performances are now turning heads across the Premier League and Europe. Following his latest heroics against Bayern, frustrated United fans have revisited old transfer rumors, questioning why Erik ten Hag didn’t push harder to bring the young forward to Manchester. For many, the decision to let Duran slip through the net is yet another example of United’s missteps in the transfer market under Ten Hag’s leadership.
As Sunday’s match approaches, Ten Hag faces a defining moment in his Manchester United tenure. A positive result at Villa Park could provide a much-needed reprieve, but another defeat might well signal the end for the Dutch manager. Meanwhile, Jhon Duran will be looking to continue his impressive run of form, eager to show United what they missed out on as he leads the line for an Aston Villa side brimming with confidence. For Manchester United, this match could not only determine the future of their manager but also serve as a painful reminder of what could have been had they taken a chance on a young, dynamic talent li
ke Duran.