Harry Maguire Has The Chance To Step Up For Manchester United

It has been well documented how difficult Harry Maguire’s last 12 months has been at Manchester United.

From error prone performances to being jeered by Manchester United fans, Maguire has had to be incredibly resilient to get through it.

There was a moment over the summer where it looked like the England international was about to leave Old Trafford and join David Moyes at West Ham United, but ultimately no deal could be agreed upon between the player and club.

United and the Hammers had agreed upon a £30 million valuation, but Maguire was holding out for a pay-off from his contract in order to facilitate the transfer. Ultimately, the deal collapsed, and Maguire thought better of it to remain at Manchester United and fight for his place.

It must be said that, even through the hardship that Maguire has had to endure, which includes being stripped of the captaincy, he has never been anything but a model professional. There have been zero reports of ever turning up late or creating problems in training, let alone releasing statements and airing dirty laundry in public.

For all of the criticism Maguire has been on the receiving end, fans have never – and will never – question his commitment to the club and the type of professional he is.

After Maguire’s brilliant performance at left-sided centre half during last week’s Carabao Cup fixture against Crystal Palace, the Englishman has found himself getting back in favour with Manchester United supporters.

Alongside Raphael Varane, who is a stalwart and leader in United’s defence, Maguire had the confidence to play his natural game and remains a top defender when the team is in possession. His array of passing is second to none and ability to pick the right pass at the right time comes from intuition alone.

With the long term injury to Lisandro Martinez, who has had a setback on the same foot that caused his absence last season, Maguire finds himself in a position to play regular minutes.

While it was clear that Victor Lindelöf was ahead of Maguire in the pecking order, a couple of performances to the standard shown last week should enable the England international a more prominent role in the team.

Maguire’s weakness has always been on the half turn and chasing back to goal. He is not blessed with pure speed that Varane possesses or the dynamism that Martinez has in abundance, but Maguire does have the aggression and possession capabilities that Erik Ten Hag values in defenders.

Especially when playing at Old Trafford, where Manchester United are expected to dominate possession and dictate play, Maguire’s involvement should not be overlooked. His comfortability on the ball and crisp passing is a huge asset to the team, as shown against Palace.

If Maguire can become more relied upon in the team and his confidence increases – without the added pressure of being a captain – Manchester United fans could see a resurgence in his performances. And at a time where players are routinely unavailable, they need it more than ever.