Former Manchester United midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger described the Red Devils as being in "survival mode" during their 2-1 win over Liverpool, insisting Erik ten Hag will not be entirely satisfied with their performance.
United bounced back from consecutive defeats against Brighton and Hove Albion and Brentford in impressive fashion on Monday, dealing Liverpool their first league defeat of 2022 through goals from Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford.
The result eased the pressure that had already begun to build around Ten Hag, who is the first United boss to claim his maiden victory in the job against Liverpool.
But Schweinsteiger, who made 35 appearances for United between 2015 and 2017, believes the manner of United's win may not have impressed Ten Hag.
United recorded just 29.6 per cent of possession at Old Trafford and allowed Liverpool 17 shots to their 12, and Schweinsteiger says they remain a long way from competing with the best.
"I support United of course and I'm very happy they won the match," he told BBC Radio 5 Live on Tuesday.
"But was it a great performance? In my opinion, if I compare it with other teams, the top teams in Europe, I wouldn't say so.
"For me, Liverpool were the better team, they had much more of the ball and possession in the game.
"But United did one thing very well, and that was to have the right attitude towards the game, they had the right spirit in the team.
"If I compare it to the top football in Europe, it's not on that level. Against the ball they were doing very well; fighting, running, they had the right attitude.
"But after 20 minutes, Liverpool were the better team, definitely. They couldn't finish their last passes otherwise they would have won the game."
Schweinsteiger knows Ten Hag from the Dutchman's time coaching Bayern Munich II between 2013 and 2015 and insists he is the right man to bring success to Old Trafford, though he feels United are yet to adapt to his style of play.
"I think they have got a very good manager now with Erik ten Hag, I know him quite well from Munich because he was our second team manager back in the day," he added.
"I think they have the right man in that position. But was it the way United want to play football? I don't think so, it was survival mode.
"In the long term, he definitely wants to have a team that plays a different kind of football. It will take some time but definitely he is the right man for that position."
Ten Hag made several big calls when selecting his team for the game, leaving out club captain Harry Maguire and talismanic striker Cristiano Ronaldo as Bruno Fernandes was handed the armband.
Fernandes looked rejuvenated after his quiet start to the season, recording a team-high 66 touches and creating two chances on Monday, the joint-most among United players.
And while Schweinsteiger was impressed with the midfielder's display, he highlighted the need for United to fit both him and Ronaldo into a coherent system.
Asked whether the duo could play together, he said: "Well they're both Portuguese so I don't know, it's tricky for the national team then! There, they have to play together.
"You definitely see that Bruno Fernandes was running a lot, he made metres and metres and metres.
"But if you have a player like Cristiano Ronaldo, you have to know what you get and what to expect. He's not the player who runs a lot defensively, but he scores you 15 goals. So, you have to know that."
Al-Khaleej 0-1 Al-Nassr: Ronaldo misfires on return as Laporte nets winner
Cristiano Ronaldo returned from suspension but failed to find the net as Al-Nassr secured a 1-0 win over Al-Khaleej on Saturday, with Aymeric Laporte coming up with the decisive goal.
Ronaldo was in action for the first time since being sent off for an elbow in a 2-1 Saudi Super Cup loss to Al-Hilal earlier this month, with his initial two-match ban being reduced to one on appeal.
He missed three good chances as Al-Nassr threatened to fall further behind runaway Saudi Pro League leaders Al-Hilal, but former Manchester City defender Laporte spared his blushes by nodding Marcelo Brozovic's deep free-kick into the bottom-left corner with 68 minutes gone.
Al-Nassr remain nine points adrift of Al-Hilal at the summit in spite of their win, with Jorge Jesus' team unbeaten through 28 games this season as they close in on a record-extending 18th title.
Data Debrief: Ronaldo misfires on return
Ronaldo was presented with the Saudi Pro League's Player of the Month award for March ahead of kick-off, having scored four goals in three league appearances last month.
However, his sights were off on Saturday as he failed to net despite three of the visitors' four big chances, as defined by Opta, falling his way. He led all players on the pitch for expected goals (1.27 xG), shots (five), shots on target (three) and touches in the area (nine) without reward.
Huddersfield all but relegated from Championship while League Two play-off spots decided
Huddersfield Town saw their relegation from the Championship all but confirmed after a 1-1 draw with fellow strugglers Birmingham City on Saturday.
The Terriers avoided a defeat that would have seen them relegated on Saturday, but even a win on the final day over promotion hopefuls Ipswich Town will not be enough unless they overcome a huge goal difference of 15 goals with Plymouth Argyle.
Birmingham remain in the other relegation place and now must beat Norwich City to stand a chance of staying up with Sheffield Wednesday, Plymouth and Blackburn Rovers also still in danger.
At the other end of the table, the Canaries dropped points in a 2-2 draw with Swansea City, leaving the door open for Hull City, who face Ipswich Town later today.
Ten Hag bemoans late Burnley equaliser - 'It's so unnecessary'
Erik ten Hag was left frustrated as Manchester United "gave it away" against a spirited Burnley, who held them to a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford.
The Red Devils were on course to claim all three points when Antony pounced on Sander Berge's error to open the scoring in the 79th minute, as they looked to close the gap on fifth-place Tottenham to four points.
However, the hosts could not hold on as Andre Onana was penalised for a foul on Zeki Amdouni, who picked himself up to level from the penalty spot and salvage a point for the visitors three minutes from time.
Ten Hag was made to rue his side's wastefulness as they converted just one of their 27 shots on goal throughout the contest.
"We put ourselves in a winning position and, over long courses of the game, we dominated," he told the BBC. "We played some good football - creating loads of chances - and then to give it away in the end in the final minutes, it's so unnecessary.
"Every team gives up opportunities. But, when it is up to us, it is weird. We created loads of chances as well. We are one of the most dynamic and entertaining teams in the league at this moment. We are creating loads of chances by playing good football.
"We lost control in the second part of the first half when we conceded some chances, but the rest of the game was ours. We were in a winning position, and we gave it away."
Meanwhile, Vincent Kompany saluted the character demonstrated by Burnley, who boosted their Premier League survival hopes by moving to within two points of safety with three games remaining.
"We are where we are in the league for a reason, so not everything can be perfect, but the mentality was perfect - the togetherness, the sacrifice for each other," the Clarets boss said.
"There is tremendous consistency in the club and the approach to each game, even in tough times. We've earned the right to believe and hope."
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