Manchester United’s Harry Maguire has achieved quite a lot in his career so far.
The 31-year-old English centre-back has been the captain of the national team. He is also in his sixth season at a top club like Manchester United.
However, despite having played in 230 matches for the Red Devils, Maguire has not quite enjoyed the glory of playing at a truly glorious club.
An FA Cup and an EFL club title with Manchester United still do not seem to be enough, especially given the fact that the club has performed poorly in both Premier League and European competitions.
Harry Maguire with a Match-Winner Against Leicester City
Manchester United beat Leicester City 2-1 in the fourth round of FA Cup at Old Trafford last Friday, February 7.
Joshua Zirkzee equalized for the Red Devils after Leicester had taken the lead. Maguire then scored the match-winner with a header from a free-kick to clinch the victory for his team.
There was controversy surrounding Maguire’s goal, but the absence of VAR meant that it stood.
It was Maguire’s second goal of the season. He showed his aerial prowess yet again to earn a crucial win for the defending champions.
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Finding His Footing
After having gone through a tumultuous time that saw him commit a few defensive errors for both club and country, he is now is coming up with good performances one after another.
The England international has been playing alongside Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez in United’s back-three under Ruben Amorim.
He has been pretty solid to ensure United’s commendable performances against Arsenal and Liverpool recently.
Maguire is not the fastest of defenders around, and hence, having two more central defenders around has helped his team cover more area easily.
Manchester United have often defended off a low block with five defenders often.
The former club captain has excelled in his role while playing in the five-man defence, often emerging the leader of the defensive line.
His ability to use his physique to score sporadic goals from set-pieces increases his utility further for his team.
He now has scored 13 goals for Manchester United, most of them using his aerial prowess.
Maguire has also been playing international football for England for the last eight years, earning 64 caps in the process.
He was quite impressive at the World Cup in 2018 and earned back-to-back runner-up medals at European Championships in 2021 and 2024.
He will be 32 next month, which implies United will have to search for his alternative in the near future.
However, as the centre-back has proved this season, he can still hold his own at the top-level football.
Key Match Against Tottenham Hotspur
The Red Devils will play against Tottenham Hotspur in a Premier League match next weekend.
They will then take on Everton and Ipswich Town this month itself before taking on Arsenal in March.
Manchester United are languishing at the 13th position in the league table at the moment, which is nowhere near good enough.
Maguire is one of the players they will depend upon to turn things around for a respectable finish by the end of the season.
It remains to be seen whether the Englishman continues to deliver for them.
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / Sports Press Photo
Recording Date: 07.02.2025