Ross Barkley believes Aston Villa can shake off their current Premier League slump. The team suffered a 1-3 away defeat to Manchester United, marking their fourth consecutive league loss. Barkley scored his second goal of the season, briefly equalizing midway through the second half after a goal from Casemiro. However, goals from Bryan Mbemo and Benjamin Sesco secured the victory for the home side.  

However, the midfielder stated that Aston Villa must continue to work hard and maintain a positive attitude to overcome their current slump. He said, "Everyone in the dressing room is disappointed; this is not the result we expected. Manchester United are a very good top team, but we are also a force to be reckoned with."  

"We can only move forward, learn from this defeat and keep working hard. There are many excellent players in the locker room, so this kind of form cannot last long."  

When asked what Aston Villa needs to improve to get back on track to victory, Ross Barkley said: "I think we need to go back to the basics, make smarter decisions in the game, and better control the tempo of the game."  

"Our recent results have indeed been disappointing, but as I said, we have many top players in our team, and this situation cannot continue indefinitely. We will learn from this and hopefully correct our mistakes and bounce back as soon as possible."  

“We are working very hard in training and constantly analyzing the games and unsatisfactory results, trying to learn from them. Our captain has returned, and his return is crucial for the team to regain its form. In addition, several players who have been out for a long time are also gradually returning to the court.”  

For Ross Barkley, this was his first Premier League start of the season and his first top-flight start in over a year. The 32-year-old midfielder sealed the victory with a goal, unleashing a brilliant shot from inside the penalty area to send the ball into the net, eliciting enthusiastic celebrations from the traveling fans.  

However, Ross Barkley also admitted that the moment was bittersweet for him, given that the team ultimately failed to take any points. He said, "It felt good to start. I've been working hard, but I've had some injuries all season, so things didn't go exactly as I hoped."  

“I’m happy to have started and scored a goal, but the final result wasn’t what I wanted. I will continue to work hard and hope to help the team turn things around, get the team back on track and move forward.”  

Image source: Internet/Aston Villa official website