Erik ten Hag insisted Manchester United are making progress despite only managing a goalless draw with Crystal Palace.
The Red Devils hit the bar twice in quick succession in a dominant first half at Selhurst Park, but had to settle for a point after neither side was able to find a winner from plenty of chances.
Ten Hag’s side was boosted by the return of Rasmus Hojlund, who was introduced in the second half, while Mason Mount was an unused substitute.
The Dutch boss said: “The performance is good, but we are not happy with the score. We are disappointed with the score, it’s clear.
“But I know one thing for sure in football, it’s a long way to go and when you play in the quality we now deliver the points will come, the goals will come.
“Now we can work on the team, we can build structures, we can also bring out some consistency in selection, and that helps, of course, to bring the patterns and routines in, and then you play better.
“You can take more control of the game, and you can even, as we did in the first half, dominate the game.”
United next host Twente in Wednesday night’s Europa League clash before welcoming Tottenham on Sunday.
Palace boss Oliver Glasner, whose side remain in search of their first victory of the Premier League season, revealed he rallied his men at half-time with some “clear words” after what he felt was a “too cautious” first half dominated by the visitors.
The Austrian, whose side emerged much brighter after the break, explained: “I just said to them, ‘OK, you can lose a game, you can always lose a game, it’s sport, it’s football.
“But I don’t want us ever to lose our personality, because that hurts much more than losing a game.
“I told them I had this as a player. It really hurts the next day, thinking about losing a game if you don’t play how you would like to play.
“I told them, ‘Go out and show your character and your personality’.”