Maguire will stay as my captain, says Solskjaer

MANCHESTER United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has called Harry Maguire an ‘absolute top human being’ and insists he will remain the club’s captain despite being convicted of assaulting a police officer in Mykonos last month.

Solskjaer backed the world’s most expensive defender a week before his side are due to start their Premier League campaign against Crystal Palace.

Maguire was handed a 21-month suspended prison sentence after being found guilty of aggravated assault, resisting arrest and repeated attempts of bribery while on holiday on the Greek island.

The 27-year-old maintains his innocence and has appealed against the decision, which nullifies the conviction.

Solskjaer told Manchester United’s website: ‘He’s handled it really well and, of course, I’ll be here to support him. He is going to be our captain.’

Solskjaer had come under pressure to strip Maguire of the armband following the incidents in Mykonos which saw the player jailed for two nights awaiting trial. England manager Gareth Southgate axed Maguire from last week’s Nations Cup double-header against Iceland and Denmark. But he plans to bring him back into the set-up for next month’s matches against Wales, Belgium and Denmark.

Solskjaer said: ‘Of course, Harry, as you said, had a difficult summer. He didn’t have a long break. His break was different to others as we gave him a few more days. He’s come back and looked fine.

‘He is an absolute top human being and has always been a positive guy with the right values. So I really hope we can see Harry performing at his best.’

Maguire, who played every minute of United’s 201920 league season, became the world’s most expensive defender when joining from Leicester for £80million in August 2019. He was named Manchester United’s club captain in January following Ashley Young’s departure to Inter Milan.

Mason Greenwood is set to train with his United team-mates again this week to be in contention for the game against Palace on Saturday.

Greenwood, 18, has been keeping fit on his own since being sent home early from England’s Nations League squad for breaching coronavirus protocols in Iceland. The United forward and Manchester City’s Phil Foden apologised for inviting women into the team hotel when the squad were meant to stay within their own bubble.