Harry Maguire has to replicate his England form for Manchester United return, says Ten Hag

The
Manchester
United
defender
started
every
game
for
the
three
lions
and
was
one
of
their
key
performers
for
them
prior
to
the
quarterfinal
exit.

Maguire
played
every
minute
of
their
campaign
except
the
first
match,
where
he
was
taken
off
at
the
70th
minute
against
Iran
when
England
already
were
cruising
towards
a
comfortable
victory.

But
the
player
has
been
a
peripheral
figure
at
his
club,
playing
in
just
four
league
games
before
the
season
break.
And
now,
Manchester
United
manager
Erik
ten
Hag
has
urged
the
United
defender
to
replicate
his
England
form
to
come
back
to
the
starting
line-up.

Gareth
Southgate
has
repeatedly
backed
the
centre-back
on
the
international
stage,
though
Raphael
Varane
and
Lisandro
Martinez
have
become
Ten
Hag’s
preferred
partnership
at
United
this
term.

After
England’s
elimination
to
France
last
week,
Ten
Hag
wishes
Maguire
can
return
to
Old
Trafford
with
confidence
from
his
decent
outing
in
Qatar.

“I
can
only
back
him.
I’ve
been
asked
many
times
if
he
is
good
enough
[to
play
for
me]
and
it
is
clear
he
is
good
enough
to
play
at
the
highest
level,”
the
United
manager
told
reporters.

Harry
Maguire’s
importance
to
Man
United
was
highlighted
yesterday
and
since
his
absence.
Luke
Shaw
didn’t
look
right.
Rashford
had
a
poor
game.
And
Lindelof
on
the
left
simply
couldn’t
execute
passes
he
hits
with
ease
from
the
right.
The
impact
Harry
has
is
grossly
underrated.

pic.twitter.com/L1cGPGTADT

—
ʀʏᴀɴ
(@Utd_Ryan_)

May
27,
2021

“And
then
it
is
up
to
him
to
show
that
confidence
on
the
pitch
and
he
didn’t
show
that
in
all
the
games
[for
United].

“When
he
is
playing
with
his
confidence
like
now,
he
is
a
massively
important
player
for
us
and
that
is
what
everyone
expects.
That’s
what
Harry
expects
from
himself.

“He
has
that
high
standard,
he
wants
to
play
at
the
highest
level,
he
wants
to
lead
the
defensive
line,
so
it
is
up
to
him.
I’m
sure
he
has
the
potential
to
play
in
our
style
and
fit
into
our
system,”
Ten
Hag
added.

The
Dutch
manager
continued
that
Maguire
has
had
some
bad
games
with
United,
which
led
to
his
downfall
in
the
pecking
order.
But
he
asserts
the
former
Leicester
defender
can
be
an
asset
for
the
Red
Devils
if
he
comes
back
to
the
fold
with
the
same
form
that
he
showed
for
his
national
team.

Maguire’s
hamstring
injury
ruled
him
out
of
the
early
stages
of
the
Premier
League
campaign,
but
even
after
he
returned
to
fitness,
Ten
Hag
has
opted
with
Raphael
Varane,
Lisandro
Martinez
and
Victor
Lindelof
in
United’s
backline.

But
the
Red
Devils
manager
assured
he
has
no
issues
with
Maguire
and
insists
positive
performances
will
definitely
open
the
door
to
first-team
football
for
the
29-year-old.

“When
I
choose
Rapha
[Varane]
it
is
nothing
against
Harry,”
he
continued.

“Sometimes
it
is
because
one
player
is
a
lot
better
than
the
other.
But
I
think
I
have
two
or
three
good
players
there
in
the
right
centre-back
position.

“The
only
thing
he
has
to
do
is
train
well,
perform
well,
he
has
games,
he
has
rhythm
and
his
chance
will
come.
He
will
have
a
chance
to
show
it
and
then
he’s
in
and
he
will
play,”
the
United
boss
concluded.

Maguire
has
made
153
appearances
for
the
Old
Trafford
outfit
since
his
record
move
from
Leicester
in
2019.
The
defender
was
mostly
a
starter
in
his
first
two
seasons
at
the
club,
but
has
found
things
difficult
this
season
after
the
arrival
of
Lisandro
Martinez.

He
will
be
under
more
scrutiny
when
he
joins
the
Manchester
United
squad
after
a
series
of
decent
performances
with
the
national
team.
Ten
Hag
will
also
be
tempted
to
try
the
centre-back
when
the
league
starts
given
Lisandro
Martinez
and
Raphael
Varane
may
not
be
available
in
the
first
match
against
Burnley
at
the
EFL
Cup
on
December
22.

(with
inputs
from
Omnisport)