Harry Maguire reveals major change Ralf Rangnick made at Manchester United

Harry Maguire has chipped in on the one major change made by Ralf Rangnick since taking over the managerial role at Manchester United. The club captain has had a change of fortune since returning from injury, which could also be due to the team’s improvements under the interim coach.

Rangnick has steadied the ship by solidifying the defence as Man United just conceded seven goals in the ten games he has managed so far. Moreover, the squad also earned four clean sheets in the process, which is a sharp contrast to the dire situation under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer earlier this season.

Speaking in an interview with United Review (h/t Manchester United official website), Maguire emphasised that the defensive improvements overshadow the other changes made by the German boss. He was adamant that the reason for the solidity is down to the team as a whole and not just the defence.

“I think there are lots of different principles that he’s brought into the club. But, for sure, we haven’t conceded as many goals, we haven’t conceded as many chances. It’s team effort; it’s not a back-four effort, or a goalkeeping effort [alone]. Our lives are a little bit easier from the way that they [the midfielders and forwards] are working and covering spaces in front of us, so it’s a huge effort from us all.”

Couldn’t agree more

The 28-year-old was subjected to criticisms over the past few months after his largely underwhelming performances. Even if the skipper has played just two matches after returning from injury, he has looked a lot better now than he did before that. Perhaps, the team effort has played a part in taking away the pressure on the defence, resulting in his return to form.

Maguire has looked a calmer presence and as a result, the whole defensive line seems more rigid and impregnable. Moreover, modern football forces us to defend from the front as top clubs often utilize similar methods, and the effort from our midfielders and attackers is also something to consider when we talk about our solidity at the back.

We can get even better if we stick to this trajectory as we try to attain success this term. Defensive resilience would go a long way in helping us qualify for the Champions League next season and potentially mounting a serious challenge for the FA Cup. This Man United team is surely not a finished product.

We have to be ready to face the tough fixtures up ahead in March, further giving the squad a reason to keep on pushing forward. Let’s hope that the 63-year-old manager can implement more of his ideas in the forward department, which the Englishman expressed as well.

More Manchester United News

• Fabrizio Romano has hinted that Manchester United will not be going with Ralf Rangnick as their permanent manager
• Paul Pogba among Manchester United players told to defer future stance until new manager arrives
• Luke Shaw and Paul Pogba could return for Manchester United vs Middlesbrough

If the frontline can now enter into another gear on the goal-scoring front, we can hope for a strong finish to the season. Unity and teamwork have a role to play in any team’s success, and under a leader like Maguire, we can hope to end this campaign on a positive note- one that can allow us to take this momentum into the next season as we look to end our mini-drought when it comes to silverware.