Harry’s answer to boos
IF EVER there was a game for Harry Maguire to prove his enduring worth, this was it.
Against his former club, Leicester, whose fans ensured he knew he remains public enemy No.1 to them, this was a huge test of Maguire’s character and mental toughness.
All eyes were on Maguire (above) after the Manchester United skipper’s name had been booed when it was read out at Wembley before England’s 3-0 friendly win over Ivory Coast on Tuesday.
Gareth Southgate and Maguire’s England teammates rallied round to support the defender, as did interim United boss Ralf Rangnick, all expressing their faith and belief in the 29-year-old.
Maguire will have welcomed the backing, but he will also have known it was down to him to answer his critics on the pitch.
Predictably, while United fans vocalised their support for Maguire early on, the travelling contingent of Leicester fans made it the focus of their afternoon’s work to target the player whose sale brought a cool £80million into their club.
“F*** off Maguire, we don’t need you, we’ve got Soyuncu,” sang the away fans, who booed his first involvement – two headed clearances – and every touch thereafter.
If Maguire was feeling the pressure to deliver a big performance after his mistreatment on England duty, he did not let it show. In the seventh minute, he went into a 50/50 challenge with Harvey Barnes, a tackle he had to time correctly, otherwise the Leicester winger would have been through on goal.
Maguire executed the tackle to perfection, winning the ball with precision, commitment and focus, the significance of the moment not lost on United’s fans, who broke into applause.
He made a vital block within a minute of the restart, diverting a James Justin cross behind, then drew further cheers from the home fans with a smart turn away from Kelechi Iheanacho.
Thereafter, he blocked a goal-bound effort from Barnes, and headed away a dangerous in-swinging freekick from James Maddison, in a solid display.
Despite that, there is no getting away from the fact Maguire’s form has been wretched this season, although in a United team that has made a speciality of mediocrity, he has not been alone. Maguire has been honest enough to admit he has fallen short of the standard expected at the world’s biggest club, and it remains to be seen whether he retains the captain’s armband next season under United’s new permanent manager.
Former United skipper Gary Neville suggested the turmoil might actually prove beneficial to Maguire.
Neville said: “I think he’ll look back on this in many years’ time and believe it was one of his best learning experiences.”
For once, the finger of blame could not be pointed at Maguire for Iheanacho’s goal. He was covering the near post – so culpability was shared between Raphael Varane and Alex Telles.
Maguire and Varane were afforded a reprieve when Maddison’s 80th-minute goal was ruled out by VAR for a foul on the latter, after sloppy defending from the pair.
It was the only blot on an otherwise composed afternoon from Maguire, who stepped up with a big performance when he needed one – even if United’s hopes of fourth spot now look over.