Five reasons why Harry Maguire should stay at Man Utd
Jacque Talbot
- 29 Apr 2022 13:36 BST
- 4 min read
Manchester United captain Harry Maguire has been one of the primary targets of criticism this season at Old Trafford.
Despite the whole side currently on its knees and desperately waiting for the conclusion of the campaign, the defender has been targeted for his poor displays.
The 29-year-old - who is often unfairly compared to a kitchen appliance - has featured in 35 games across all competitions this season. But United fans are at the end of their tether.
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The idea is to sell the deadwood in the summer window and cut their losses on the £80 million they had spent for the player from Leicester City in 2019.
But, despite the general consensus that Maguire should depart, there are a number of reasons why he should stay at Old Trafford for one more year at least.
Erik ten Hag
Incoming Man United boss Erik ten Hag could represent a feasible change in the direction the club are headed.
Under a different manager and with a different system, the Dutchman could get Maguire back into his former self.
Equally, the incoming manager might have a better approach to dealing with a player who is clearly so shot on form and lacking confidence.
Maguire has the armband
Interim manager Ralf Rangnick reportedly asked his players to vote on whether Maguire should stay captain, in what’s a stark indication of how far the defender has fallen.
But there was a period in which the England international was at the top of his game and clearly showed the leadership skills required to push the team forward. He did, after all, lead the northwest club to a Premier League runners-up finish last season.
Perhaps this could be realised once again under a fresh figure in the dugout.
Stunning England performances
Maguire has been a standout performer for his national side and was arguably England’s most proficient centre-back in their Euro 2020 campaign.
Such displays indicate a player of good quality who works well and is able to progress and carry the ball when a decent holding midfielder - such as Declan Rice - is just ahead of him.
It’s all the more reason why Man United should look to bring in a suitable midfielder, who can defend the backline, in the summer window.
Maguire has a point to prove
Maguire has been given both barrels by supporters and pundits this season, despite being one of the few Man Utd players who shows an ounce of effort on the field.
The defender has received social media abuse by fans and criticism on TV by club legends throughout the season.
Ten Hag represents a fresh start and a clean slate to go into the new campaign for Maguire - while he can no doubt use his frustrations from this season as a point to prove to his naysayers after the summer.
Maguire is relentless
Even though Maguire has made some howlers this season, no one could argue with his determination and grit. Each time another mistake is made gif-able and shared around Twitter, the former Hull City player is back out on the field the next game looking to bounce back.
Indeed, it hasn’t worked so far, but the new-manager effect might just see Maguire back to his very best.
