Krishnan Sreekumar
Manchester United captain Harry Maguire defends his performances this season although admitting it has not been good enough
Speaking to Sky Sports, Manchester United captain and defender Harry Maguire has defended his performances on the pitch this season, although he did admit that it has not been good enough and understood why he is subject to criticism.
Our defence has been sub-par this term, conceding cheap goals and committing schoolboy errors as we either gift the opposition goals or allow them to cut past us easily. Stronger teams have walked all over us at times, brushing our defenders aside with authority.
Maguire in particular has been woeful in the current campaign, unable to build on the good displays he had for the team last season as we finished second in the Premier League table and also reached the final of the UEFA Europa League.
The 29-year-old has an additional responsibility as captain to lead the side by example and be the shining light that everyone looks up to, but thus far, he has not been able to inspire his teammates to be better as he himself has been struggling on the field.
“This season I’ve had some bad games”
The Englishman has usually been partnered up with either Raphael Varane or Victor Lindelof, and in most matches, his partner looks to be the better player when compared to him. In fact, in games where Maguire has been rested, Lindelof and Varane make the rearguard look more stable and solid.
The former Leicester City man admitted that he has had some bad games this season, but defended himself by saying that if he had been playing badly every match or not playing well enough, he would not be playing for the club in every game.
“This season I’ve had some bad games. But I wouldn’t be playing every game for Manchester United in the starting eleven if I’d been playing bad every game or not playing well enough.”
Our defensive line’s poor performances have seen us drop crucial points in the league this season. From a winning position, we have, at times, not been able to keep hold of our narrow leads over the opposition teams and have missed out on two points as we end up drawing the match.
Maguire in particular has been at fault for some of these results, with the skipper unable to clear his lines or keep up with the pace of the strikers who run past him like he isn’t there sometimes. While playing for a club like United, incidents like these are unacceptable.
Funnily enough, he has been in good form for England, churning out impressive performances for the Three Lions in international games. He looks comfortable in a back three under Gareth Southgate, but the same effect is missing in a back four under Ralf Rangnick.
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Maguire pushed too far ahead of the backline to let Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mo Salah run in behind him to jostle between themselves for an easy assist to Luis Diaz. He was perhaps unaware that Sadio Mane dropped back to lose his man for Liverpool’s third, and overall, was struggling to keep up with the pace of the Reds’ attack.
Rangnick employed a back three last night, but Maguire and his teammates ended up conceding four goals. Clearly, something is hampering his performances for the Red Devils, perhaps the weight of the armband. Whatever it may be, the defender needs to be at his very best in the remaining games of the season in order to help his side finish in the top four of the league table by the summer.
