Erik ten Hag and Ruud van Nistelrooy appear to have heated argument on Man Utd bench

Manchester United made it three games without a Premier League goal on Sunday, but escaped with a draw from their encounter against Aston Villa thanks to a good defensive performance.

Erik ten Hag and Ruud van Nistelrooy seemed to be in a violent dispute during Manchester United’s draw with Aston Villa.

Social media footage shows the two trading words on the bench. Ten Hag then looks to become emotional, waving at compatriot Van Nistelrooy while the former PSV Eindhoven manager listens.

The argument lasts several seconds, and the video finishes with Ten Hag seeming unimpressed. Fans on social media were confused if the couple were speaking English or Dutch throughout the debate, with some calling for lip-readers to intervene.

United drew another blank at Villa Park, but a clean sheet helped them depart with a point. They have now gone three league games without scoring, and Ten Hag pondered on their attacking woes after the stalemate, while applauding his team’s defensive strength.”We had that resilience throughout the season,” Ten Hag told Match of the Day. “We surrendered three goals against Tottenham while being down by ten, and we still won. But for the rest, this is our fourth clean sheet.

“This indicates that we are headed in the right way. We are now improving our defense against counterattacks as well as our control of possession. But we also need to improve in the last third.

“First of all, Rasmus [Hojlund] is returning. When he reaches full speed, he will assist us. However, other players must accept responsibility. I’m quite impressed with [Marcus] Rashford’s effort; he came close to scoring twice. [Alejandro] Garnacho has played well this season. But other players can score, so we need to improve in that area.”

What did you think of Manchester United’s performance at Villa Park? Share your thoughts in the comments area.United has only scored five goals in seven Premier League games, and their eight points are the fewest they have ever had. Only 19th-placed Southampton have scored less goals than United, while winless Crystal Palace have five as well.

Their next two games are against clubs right above them in the rankings but with poorer defensive records. Following the international break, they will visit Brentford, who have surrendered 13 goals in seven games, followed by a trip to West Ham, who have conceded nine goals in four home games and 11 overall.

The games might present an opportunity for United’s strikers to return to the goalscoring ranks, as no player has scored more than once in the league for Ten Hag’s club. The dismal record hasn’t impressed former United player Paul Scholes, who chastised the squad following Sunday’s draw.”In forward areas, especially, I just don’t think the quality is there,” Scholes told SuperSport after the Villa encounter. “We return to the most successful teams, which are capable of scoring goals. What was our score? Five goals in seven games.

“Now, we had three or four attackers that could score 20 goals each, so you’re looking at 80 goals every season, which I don’t see in Manchester United’s forward line. Look, Hojlund does well, but will he score you 20 goals? I do not think so.

“[Joshua] Zirkzee… What is he? Is he ranked No. 9 or No. 10? Is he going to get you twenty goals? I do not think so. I believe they are banking on hope rather than proven quality, and they have also invested a significant amount of money.”