As Manchester United face Brentford on Saturday at Old Trafford as they look to avoid a third consecutive defeat, we think Harry Maguire has to start.
Defeat back-to-back at Old Trafford leaves Erik ten Hag on the verge of another unwanted stat which could be three consecutive home losses.
Two in a row is already a horrid record, but a third would leave Manchester United fans with a lot to ponder over the international break.
After Tuesday’s 3-2 defeat, the defence surely can’t remain in place after being so shaky. Therefore we envision a change being made, Victor Lindelof out, Harry Maguire in.
Here are three reasons why…
Maguire deserves his chance
Harry Maguire has long been unfairly the subject of hate at Old Trafford. However he remains at the club, working hard and awaiting his chance in the team.
To make his selection more appealing, he very rarely lets the side down when he is selected. This can be seen in his last start which saw a clean sheet against Palace in the cup.
Six defensive actions and five duels won showcased how the United goal was untroubled. This is complemented by his on-ball quality with 125-touches resulting in a 93% passing accuracy.
Lindelof doesn’t warrant a start
For as solid as Maguire has been in his performances, Victor Lindelof has been equally bad of late. Usually dependable, Lindelof has really regressed in the last few weeks.
Lindelof is the second best centre-half regardless of who he is next to, even Jonny Evans out performing him. This should be sign enough to replace him with Maguire.
The Swedish defender’s struggled were epitomised against Galatasaray in a poor display that saw him part of a defence that shipped three goals. Time to rotate.
On-ball positivity needed
One thing that needs to be ensured this Saturday, is that Manchester United aren’t playing hot-potato with the ball again. With Maguire, for all his faults, he is a 9/10 passer and rarely makes mistakes.
This would be a big plus, with building out from the back made easier and line-breaking passes that could send Mason Mount on his way.
This also makes up for the missing Lisandro Martinez whose ball progression has been sorely missed in recent games as Lindelof just isn’t that player.
