CARRY ON HARRY
No one in the world has played more than Maguire in 2020
THERE must have been moments this year when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer considered taking his captain Harry Maguire out of the firing line.
Probably in the aftermath of Maguire’s arrest in Mykonos on a family holiday in August, or maybe during a torrid start to the season when Manchester United’s £80million defender was also sent off for England against Denmark in October.
Solskjaer said he would monitor Maguire’s situation but resisted the temptation to rest his skipper aside from in a Carabao Cup tie at Brighton and the Champions League win over Paris SaintGermain due to minor injury.
So Maguire will lead United into their final game of the year at home to Wolves this evening having played more minutes — 4,925 of them or just over 82 hours — than any other professional footballer in the world in 2020. It is testament to Maguire’s character but also to the support given to him by Solskjaer and England boss Gareth Southgate.
‘I will always support Harry and I think Gareth will as well,’ said the United manager. ‘ He just wants to keep playing football.
‘He is such a good human being. He is in there leading the dressing room. He is very humble and hard-working. He knows when he has to hold his hands up and he has led from the front.
‘Harry is a strong character and a very good player. He always wants to play and he never wants a rest. He has really improved throughout the season. We can see more maturity and leadership from Harry every game.’
Edinson Cavani could return to the starting line-up for what will be United’s seventh encounter with Wolves in less than two years under Solskjaer.
There are two games left before the Uruguay star has to respond to an FA charge of misconduct over a social media post, with a ban of at least three games hanging over him.
Cavani came off the bench at Leicester on Saturday to set up United’s second goal in a 2-2 draw, and has made nine of his 13 appearances as a substitute. They include scoring contributions at Southampton and Everton last month, but Solskjaer dismissed suggestions he sees the 33-yearold as an impact player.
‘He is definitely a starter,’ he said. ‘You don’t classify a player of that quality as anything else. We have plenty of starters, more than 11. That is the thing when you are at Man United.
‘I trust him. He will probably start more games than he will not start.’
Although Solskjaer was reluctant to discuss the possibility of extending Cavani’s contract when it runs out at the end of the season, he believes the player has proved worthy of the iconic No 7 shirt made famous by George Best, Cristiano Ronaldo, Eric Cantona, David Beckham and Bryan Robson.
‘That was the first thing he asked me, if he could wear the No7,’ said Solskjaer. ‘Obviously we are talking about the history of the shirt. When you think of his career, experience and personality, it wasn’t in doubt that he could handle it.
‘ He is so meticulous and professional. His habits show why he has had the career he has. Even at the age he is now, he is one of the fittest players we have got.’