If there is one current Manchester United player who always receives criticism regardless of his performances, it is the club’s captain, Harry Maguire.
He has been woeful for most of the year and with Erik ten Hag in the lead, he lost his place in the first XI to new recruit Lisandro Martinez.
To make matters worse, when Raphael Varane has been injured, the coach has turned to Victor Lindelof instead of the English central defender.
Maguire returns to his prime
The lack of minutes meant many pundits implored England manager Gareth Southgate to pick someone younger, but the Three Lions boss stuck with his man and has started him in both of England’s games so far.
The United defender played well against Iran in the first game that was barely tested. But against a raging USA team, Maguire had to use all of his experience to make sure his team didn’t lose the contest.
Harry Maguire’s match in numbers vs. USES:
94 touches88% passing accuracy71 passes completed8 long balls completed8 clearances3/4 aerial duels won1 interception1 block1/1 dribble completed
I cleaned up the stuff in the back. ???? pic.twitter.com/iKX28RjPXL
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) November 25, 2022
Some good passing defenses and perfectly timed tackles were the hallmarks of his display on Friday. The 29-year-old hardly made a misstep as England held on to secure a point as the game ended 0-0.
Maguire made eight clearances and won three of four passing duels. He also had a crucial interception and block.
What was even more impressive about his display was the range of passes he displayed. From perfectly weighted long diagonals to line-breaking balls in midfield, Maguire had it all.
United can benefit from the recent run of form
The former Leicester City man had 94 touches on the ball and completed the game with an impressive 88% passing accuracy.
He completed 71 passes and also successfully completed 8 long balls. He had a header on goal while completing a successful dribble.
Erik ten Hag will be impressed with what he has seen from his boss so far and it bodes well for United as they can now boast four quality centre-backs.
With Varane’s injury record not exactly inspiring confidence, Maguire can slowly start to build a case for being included in the starting XI more often if he keeps up this kind of display.
