The impact of this draw on Erik ten Hag's position remains uncertain, but it might have saved him from the potential humiliation of a Manchester United defeat at Aston Villa. Perhaps. Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Sir Dave Brailsford, Omar Berrada, Dan Ashworth, and Jason Wilcox, United's key figures, were in the best seats and will likely assess Ten Hag's position during the international break. Bruno Fernandes hit the crossbar with a superb free-kick, and United's performance was far from disgraceful. However, their last victory was against Barnsley, and they are now on a five-game winless streak. From training at Boavista the morning after Harry Maguire's stoppage-time intervention against Porto to a grey Sunday afternoon in Birmingham, Kobbie Mainoo was among those involved in Friday's session, designed exclusively for players who did not start the draw, with Alejandro Garnacho being the exception. Mainoo returned to the starting lineup here as part of four changes. Ten Hag's boldest decisions, however, were in defense, with Jonny Evans, 37 in January, and Maguire, 31, inserted into the heart of the United backline in place of Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martínez. Ten Hag's team selection prompted Gary Neville to joke that he and his brother, Phil, might be playing at full-back. At least it seemed like a joke. Maguire only lasted until half-time after sustaining an apparent muscle injury deep into stoppage time, leaving him with a giant hole in his sock and requiring assistance from two members of United's medical staff. Victor Lindelöf replaced Noussair Mazraoui, and Martínez came in for Maguire. At first glance, the United team sheet felt like a strange act of self-sabotage by Ten Hag. Villa are dynamic in attack and break with speed and gusto. Morgan Rogers is dangerous on the half-turn, and when Christian Eriksen was booked after clipping Rogers inside two and a half minutes, it set an ominous tone for the match. A few minutes later, Rogers maneuvered into a hole behind Mainoo and Eriksen and cannoned an effort wide that smacked the hoardings and rippled the rear of André Onana's net. Some Villa fans thought it was in. Evans, an emergency signing last year, was never supposed to still be here, heading crosses away at the core of this spluttering United machine, but, to his credit, he was arguably United's best player. “Jonny Evans is a red,” crooned the away support as he made a timely tackle on Rogers before halting Ross Barkley moments later. It was Evans who sniffed out the danger when Rogers, again profiting from space behind United's defense and midfield, freed Ollie Watkins. Onana later saved well from Youri Tielemans, unmarked on the edge of the D, after United switched off at a corner. Marcus Rashford had the game's first effort, snatching the ball from Matty Cash on halfway before driving down the left. Rashford stepped inside Barkley and lashed a shot goalwards, triggering a smart save from Emiliano Martínez. The Villa goalkeeper made a similar stop a few minutes after the break, after Mainoo played in Rashford down the left channel. Midway through the second half, Martínez was beaten by Fernandes, available after his red card against Tottenham was rescinded, but Fernandes's free-kick clattered against the crossbar. Antony, who until arriving from the bench had played a single league minute, sent a first-time effort wide from the rebound. Ten Hag rocked back in his chair. Unai Emery did similar when Diogo Dalot denied Jaden Philogene, Ian Maatsen's cross dribbling to him at the back post. As the game ticked into stoppage time, there was a delay owing to the referee Rob Jones's headset technology seemingly conking out. It remains to be seen how much battery life is left in Ten Hag's role at United.