BASAKSEHIR MAN UNITED

Istanbul Basaksehir: Gunok, Rafael, Epureanu, Skrtel, Mbombo, Topal, Visca, Ozcan, Kahveci, Turuc, Ba Man Utd: De Gea, Wan-bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw, Matic, Pogba, Mata, Fernandes, Rashford, Martial

Champions League, group H: Istanbul, kick-off 5.55pm

DAVID MCDONNELL

WHILE his performances this season suggest otherwise, Harry Maguire insists his mind is fully focused on football.

He endured a summer to forget, an altercation with police on the Greek holiday island of Mykonos ending in his conviction for aggravated assault, bribery and resisting arrest.

Although Maguire appealed all convictions and remains confident he will clear his name, his form suggests he has found the episode more difficult to deal with than he will publicly admit.

The Manchester United skipper was sent off after 31 minutes of England’s 1-0 Nations League defeat to Denmark last month, while his unconvincing club form has also been the subject of intense scrutiny.

But as he prepares to lead Un i t e d into t o n i g h t ’s Champions League tie at

Turkish ki h champions h i Istanbul It l Basaksehir, Maguire claimed he has put his summer of turmoil firmly behind him.

“My mind is fully focused on football,” said Maguire. “I had a difficult period in the summer, but now I’m fully focused.

“I come into training each day, work as hard as I can and focus on each game as it comes. I can only say I’m still fully focused on improving and taking this club for ward .”

Asked how he coped with the avalanche of social media criticism that has come his way this summer, Maguire replied: “Don’t go on it, don’t read it.”

Maguire’s bullish public stance, when quizzed on the i mp a c t o f h i s troubled summer, was to be expected, with the 27-year-old never likely to open up on the mental toll it has taken on him.

Not least when technical issues with the Zoom call meant Maguire and boss O le Gunnar S ol skja er could hardly hear the questions put to them and had to have them submitted in written form and then read out by a third party.

But t h e £ 8 0 mi l l i o n centre-back talked a good game in his role as skipper, insisting there is a collective will at United to overcome their woeful start to the Premier League campaign.

While United will be looking to make it three wins from three in Europe, a pitiful haul of seven points from 18 has left them in 15th place.

“The main thing is working hard, coming into training each day, trying to improve and obviously we want to be consistent,” said Maguire.

“At the start of last season it was a bit inconsistent in terms of our performances and results showed that.

“Then we found some consistency after the lockdown period and managed to achieve Champions League football.

“We have to find it within ourselves and within the group. It’s got to come from working hard and training hard and being willing to listen and improve.”