Are these the numbers that show Harry Maguire may have a future at Manchester United? Much-maligned defender set up Scott McTominay’s winner against Brentford and reminded Erik ten Hag why Gareth Southgate relies on him for England
- Harry Maguire made his first start of the season against Brentford
- Maguire set up Scott McTominay’s injury time winner at Old Trafford
- Listen to the latest episode of Mail Sport’s podcast ‘It’s All Kicking Off!’
Manchester United rolled back the years to avoid a third consecutive home defeat in the Premier League on Saturday, with Scott McTominay scoring twice in injury time to thwart Brentford.
But while the Scot’s rescue act justifiably grabbed the headlines, Harry Maguire delivered the kind of performance that should at temporarily silence his critics.
It was a rare ray of sunshine for the defender, who lost his place in the starting XI last season following a series of disappointing performances and was subsequently stripped of the captaincy by Erik ten Hag.
Maguire looked set to rebuild his career at West Ham but the move collapsed during the transfer window and he has found himself marooned at Old Trafford.
Through it all, he’s been lambasted on social media and became a figure of ridicule, with Arsenal and Scotland fans both mockingly cheering his introduction last month.
Harry Maguire made his first Premier League start of the season on Saturday
The England centre-back started a Premier League game alongside Jonny Evans for the first time since they played for Leicester against Chelsea in May 2019
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Maguire has always maintained he would do his talking on the pitch and was true to his word, as he made his first Premier League start of the season on Saturday with Hag turning to him and Jonny Evans to alleviate United’s defensive injury crisis.
While not entirely blameless in the defensive mix-up that led to Mathias Jensen’s opener midway through the first half, Maguire grew into the contest.
According to data from StatsPerform, the 30-year-old won both of his aerial duels and came out on top of 60 per cent of his five duels on the ground.
Maguire recorded a team joint-highest two interceptions and five recoveries in his 90 minutes on the pitch, as United held Brentford to a 0.87xG.
He finished the game without winning a single tackle, but made his biggest impact at the opposite end of the pitch.
Maguire set up McTominay’s winner with a perfectly cushioned header deep into injury time, continuing a recurring theme this season that has seen United’s defenders turn providers more often than not.
Worryingly for Ten Hag, United’s defenders have provided a combined four assists in the Premier League this season, one more than their midfielders and forwards have contributed between them.
Maguire’s attacking contribution, however, wasn’t limited to the assist.
Maguire set up Scott McTominay’s injury-time winner with a perfectly cushioned header
The 30-year-old ranked third in passes and successful passes with 63 and 59 respectively among all United players against Brentford
With Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane out, he took it upon himself to carry the ball out from defence on Saturday, touching the ball 69 times – the fourth-highest figure among United players.
Maguire ranked third in passes and successful passes with 63 and 59 respectively and completed 88.9 percent of his passes.
Those figures not only highlight United’s lack of any attacking spark, but they also laid bare the difficulties Ten Hag has encountered in making his team play out from the back.
The Dutchman’s s decision to spend £47million in the summer to sign Andre Onana from Inter Milan in the summer is yet to be vindicated.
The Cameroonian goalkeeper is better with the ball at his feet than David de Gea, but has yet to show the shot-stopping ability of his predecessor.
Of the teams in the top half of the table, only Brighton have conceded more goals than United so far this season and Onana has let in seven goals in two Champions League games, committing major mistakes in both.
Maguire (middle) lost his place in the starting XI last season and was stripped of the captaincy by Erik ten Hag after a series of disappointing performances
The Dutchman has insisted he values Maguire and wanted to keep him at Old Trafford
Crucially, his ability to play out from the back has been all but negated by a lack of support from his teammates in front of him, who rarely show for the ball and invite pressing on them.
Against Brentford, United repeatedly surrendered possession by having Onana looking to bypass the midfield by booting the ball upfield.
Martinez’s loss is particularly significant, as he is bar the most progressive defender at Ten Hag’s disposal.
While the Argentine looks to play the ball forward towards midfield at the earliest opportunity, Maguire prefers a more laborious build-up play.
While that results in safer passes, it also slows play down and plays in the hands of high-pressing teams.
Maguire was openly mocked as he came on as substitute against Arsenal last month
Maguire could see more action as Lisandro Martinez (left) is out for three months with a foot injury and Raphael Varane (right) remains injury-prone
It is an issue Gareth Southgate has looked to minimise at international level, but one which United struggle to deal with due to a lack of dynamism in midfield.
Ten Hag’s efforts to play to Onana’s strengths have also been complicated by injuries.
Maguire and Evans became United’s fifth defensive pairing in six games on Saturday, with Victor Lindelof and Diogo Dalot both deployed in makeshift roles at right-back and left-back respectively.
To put it into context, Maguire and Evans last started a Premier League game together in May 2019, helping Leicester to keep a clean sheet against Chelsea.
But with Martinez out for three months and an injury-prone Varane, Ten Hag may well have to turn to the former Leicester centre-backs again.
In the meantime, Maguire will join his England teammates for the friendly against Australia on Friday and the Euro 2024 qualifier against Italy next week on the back of a positive performance.
It is welcome news for Southgate, who has refused to drop Maguire even when he lost his place for United and has been one of his most vocal supporters after criticism of the centre-back hit new heights following the friendly against Scotland last month.
Ten Hag has shown his support towards the under-fire Maguire in public in recent months
‘It is the responsibility of a coach to protect their players,’ Southgate said of Maguire last week.
‘He is treated in a strange way
‘He has been an important player for us, he still is an important player for us. We have competition for places and we are looking at young centre-backs and different centre-backs.
‘But at various moments as a coach your job is to protect your players.’
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