-
Harry Maguire offers a strong statement regarding Manchester United’s performance levels.
Manchester United captain Harry Maguire feels that his performances this season have done him “justice,” but he is convinced that he will not be satisfied until he plays in every game.
Maguire has unceremoniously fallen down the pecking order at Old Trafford this season after being one of the first names on the teamsheet under the previous manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Erik ten Hag has preferred a Lisandro Martinez–Raphael Varane partnership and will frequently turn to Victor Lindelof from the bench if he wants an extra layer of defensive protection.
After the embarrassing 4-0 loss to Brentford in August, Maguire was benched, and he hasn’t started back-to-back Premier League games since.
“This year I feel I am in a good place mentally, physically and every time I’ve started a game of football I’ve done myself justice and done well,” he said after playing all 90 minutes of the 2-0 win against Everton over the weekend.
“I’m not going to stand here and say I love it, or that I like it. I don’t,” he said of his situation this season. “I want to play every game and I have done for the last eight years of my career. Also, I have to respect the manager and his decisions and also respect how good the competition is at centre-back at this club. It is, and I believe that.”
Having lifted the Carabao Cup already this season, Maguire still has his eyes on two more as United target the FA Cup and Europa League. He also predicts ‘numerous starts’ in what remains of 2022/23.
“I will work as hard as I can in training and take every game as it comes as I’m sure I’m going to get numerous starts between now and the end of the season,” he said.
“It is not like I’ve not started. I’ve started the last two games before the international break against Fulham and Betis. It is not like I’ve been frozen out or not been involved. I’m still playing a lot of games but obviously as a footballer I want to play every game. But I’m sure every other centre-back in the dressing room does as well and the manager cannot play all four.”