Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe said a decision about under-fire manager Erik ten Hag is not his call, and was reticent about whether he still has faith in the team's boss amid their worst start to the Premier League season since 1986-87.
"I don't want to answer that question," Ratcliffe told the BBC. "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.
"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 -- Omar (Berrada, CEO), (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."
Ten Hag's job was the subject of speculation for much of last season en route to the team's lowest Premier League finish of eighth. After an FA Cup final victory over Manchester City and an end-of-season review, however, Ten Hag signed a new contract to extend his stay at Old Trafford until 2026.
"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," Ratcliffe said.
Ten Hag continues to plead for patience from fans with the team languishing 13th in the Premier League table, having lost three of their six opening games. They were headed towards defeat by Porto in the Europa League on Thursday before Harry Maguire scored a last-gasp goal to salvage a 3-3 draw.
United travel to Aston Villa on Sunday.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes was sent off for a second successive game and it required substitute Harry Maguire's stoppage-time header to rescue a 3-3 draw that does little to improve the mood ahead of Sunday's challenging trip to Aston Villa.
Asked if he felt there was patience within the United fanbase and structure having said to judge them at the end of the season, Ten Hag said: "I'm not thinking about such issues because that is not a topic.
"We are in there together - the ownership, the leadership team, the staff. I appointed a new staff, we bought, again, new young players and we have to integrate them.
"Like we just talked about Manuel Ugarte, the six position was absolutely one of the topics we want to sign for the season but he needs time to integrate.
"And I know in top football you don't get time, they have to perform immediately, but it's not always realistic.
"He has to get used to our game model, he has to get used to his team-mates, he has to get used to the intensity of the Premier League, so it needs time.
"We have more positions where we need time, where I was very pleased with the return of Rasmus Hojlund.
"I think he had a good return, but we didn't and we couldn't play him in the first two months of the season.
"Hopefully he's now fit, he keeps improving in his fitness levels, and that he also has a consistent, fit season. That will help us.
"There are some more areas where we will improve, definitely, and then this team can grow and improve.
Then we will see where we will end in the end of the season."
