United and Villa played out a drab 0-0 stalemate in the Premier League on Sunday (06.10.24) and the Sky Sports pundit thinks that it will stave off the threat of the sack for the Dutch coach in the immediate future.

Neville said: "It's a small step forward. Before the game, if you offered any Man Utd fan, player or coach a draw, then they would have snapped your hand off.

"That's where, at the end of the game when you see Erik ten Hag's interview, there's an element of relief because it keeps the wolves at bay for a couple of weeks at least. It gives them a little bit more time.

"I don't think anybody who thought a major incident would happen after the game thought it would happen with a draw. They always thought it would need to be a difficult day or difficult defeat like it was last week against Tottenham. I think it buys Ten Hag a little bit of time."

United have made their worst-ever start to a Premier League season despite the draw at Villa and Neville says results in the games after the international break could be decisive in Ten Hag keeping his job.

The former Red Devils captain said: "Manchester United fans, coaches, players have talked about this new structure that surrounds Ten Hag, it needs to go to work quite quickly in the next few weeks.

"If the next international break comes around and Manchester United are still in that 13th, 14th position in the league, I think there's going to be a lot of pressure.

"The next few weeks are critical in making sure they can somehow get some momentum for the rest of the season so that Ten Hag can keep his job."