Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has warned centre-back, Harry Maguire, that he would need to work hard to regain his spot in the starting XI.
The England star just made a comeback after a short absence, playing 45 minutes against FC Sheriff last week. The gaffer has informed United’s captain that his recovery from injury does not guarantee a place in the starting XI.
No one has ever been guaranteed a starting position since the manager took his place at the club. When given the chance, every player must offer their best to the club in order to make their way into the manager’s plans.
As previously said by Ten Hag, the captain’s armband is a luxury and does not provide Maguire with an advantage over the other members of the squad.
Speaking in an interview with SkySports, the gaffer said:
“We need everyone, I’m really happy Harry is back from his injury. Now he has to fight for his position back in the team. I was happy to give him minutes against Sheriff and he did well. He will compete for those positions in the team. I am happy that he is available, he is ready and prepared to get into the team and win games.”
After United lost 4-0 to Brentford in their second league game this season, Maguire was straightaway snubbed from the starting XI.
After that, Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez received the go-ahead to feature in the majority of the games, and the pair has excelled since then. They are the first choice pair for Erik ten Hag as the club climbed their way back to the top rankings in the league. United is now fifth in the Premier League standings, just a point behind fourth-placed Newcastle United.
They did great to revive their season, and their defenders deserve a tonne of praise for this achievement. The Red Devils’ high line at the back allows them to stay compact and provide pressure on their opponents.
The club performed well against West Ham as they won by a 1-0 scoreline at Old Trafford.
