England and Man United defender Harry Maguire expressed a sense of vindication regarding his choice to stay and persevere for his spot at Manchester United, successfully rejoining Erik ten Hag’s team.
Despite facing setbacks, losing his starting position and the captaincy last season, the 30-year-old English defender opted to remain at Old Trafford. His confidence in reclaiming his place was unwavering, and his determination bore fruit as he has featured in the starting lineup for the club’s last eight matches across all competitions.
Asked if it feels like personal vindication for staying at United, he said:
“I played a few games last year, 16 or 17 starts, and I felt like I performed really well in the games I played in. I just didn’t play as many as I would have liked.
“On the other hand, Rapha (Varane) and Licha (Lisandro Martinez) were playing brilliantly and kept numerous clean sheets. I had to bide my time and be patient.
“I had two or three opportunities last season to get a run of games but I broke down with illness, I broke down with injuries twice, so I never got the rhythm and never got the run of games that I could prove myself to the manager.
“I have got that now, I am really enjoying my football and I really enjoy playing for this club.”
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Enduring taunts from fans during matches for both United and England, Maguire dismisses the regular abuse as “banter,” crediting his accomplishments for maintaining his self-belief.
“The main thing is working hard in training and ensuring you’re ready,” emphasizes the centre-back. Addressing the discussions surrounding his absence from games, he acknowledges, “There was a lot of talk about me because I wasn’t playing games, but that is the way it is.” Despite the scrutiny, Maguire remains resolute, stating, “I was playing well for my country, went to the World Cup, played well, and always thought my form was there.”
While sixth-placed United has secured victories in four of their past five Premier League matches, goal-scoring remains challenging, with only 13 goals in 12 league matches. Notably, Marcus Rashford has struggled with just one goal, and others like Rasmus Hojlund, Alejandro Garnacho, Antony, and Anthony Martial are yet to open their Premier League accounts.
