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United has taken seven points from its first six Premier League matches, beating Fulham and Southampton while suffering back-to-back 3-0 home defeats versus Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur.

That is its joint-worst return through six games of any season in the competition, having made identical starts under David Moyes in 2013-2014 and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2020-2021.

In the UEFA Europa League, meanwhile, United was pegged back in a 1-1 draw at home to Feyenoord on matchday one then squandered a 2-0 lead in a 3-3 draw at Porto.

Those results have led to fierce criticism coming Ten Hag's way, but Ratcliffe says United's new football hierarchy will make any decisions regarding the Dutchman's future.

Asked if he retained faith in Ten Hag, who signed a new contract in pre-season, Ratcliffe said: "I don't want to answer that question.

"I like Erik. I think he's a very good coach but at the end of the day it's not my call.

"It's the management team that's running Manchester United that have to decide how we best run the team in many different respects.

"But that team that's running Manchester United has only been together since June or July. They weren't there in January, February, March or April – [CEO] Omar [Berrada], [sporting director] Dan Ashworth – they only arrived in July.

"They've only been there… you can count it in weeks almost - they've not been there a long time, so they need to take stock and make some sensible decisions.

"Our objective is very clear – we want to take Manchester United back to where it should be, and it's not there yet, obviously – that's very clear."

United goes to Aston Villa for its next Premier League game this weekend, having won 40 Premier League games against the Villans, with only the Red Devils beating an opponent more often in the competition's history – 41 versus Everton.

Villa has won just one of its past 25 Premier League home games against United – eight draws, 16 losses – with that 3-1 victory coming in Unai Emery's first game in charge of the club in November 2022.