UNITED MUST KEEP THE BELIEF: TEN HAG

Dutchman confident underwhelming team will sort out their form ahead of Porto test

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OPORTO - Erik ten Hag insisted there was no reason for him to "panic", despite his position as Manchester United manager coming under increased scrutiny after a difficult start to the season.

The record 20-time English champions are off to their joint-worst start in the English Premier League era, collecting just seven points from six games while scoring a mere five goals.

United also began their Europa League campaign in worrying fashion, drawing 1-1 at Old Trafford last week with ten Hag's former club FC Twente, a result midfielder Christian Eriksen said "feels like a loss”.

It extended United's poor run in Europe to one win in nine games after last season's disastrous Champions League display. They have a chance to improve that record when they take on Porto at the Estadio do Dragao in their second Europa League outing on Oct 3.

Ten Hag again pleaded for more time to turn the club's fortunes around after the 3-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur on Sept 29, but the Dutchman admitted his team were far below the standards expected.

In an interview with Sky Sports on Oct 2, the Dutchman said: "This is nothing for me to panic about because I experience it so often with my teams during seasons, that you are facing those problems.