Manchester United club captain Harry Maguire started for the first time in 11 weeks against West Ham United on Sunday.
It’s a peculiar space to navigate for the captain who has experienced a drop in confidence and a fall from grace of late.
Maguire cut an awkward figure, often looking the wrong way to the right (via The Athletic).
A worked draw
The Red Devils were unable to put on a dominant display against the Hammers but still managed to scrape out a 1-0 win.
Marcus Rashford, 24, headed for United in the 38th minute on his 318th appearance and achieved his 100th club in United colors in the process.
However, the second half saw United besieged by West Ham’s attack. Ten Hag brought in Scott McTominay in the final third of the game, opting to switch to a 4-3-3 formation.
The change gave the Hammers room to exploit and, with the added room, an incentive to attack.
As United entered the final moments of the game, Christian Eriksen’s tired legs and well of creativity ran dry, allowing the opposition to get the upper hand in the game.
Spain goalkeeper David de Gea put in a stellar performance between the sticks for United, leaving the West Ham players in disbelief that they couldn’t find the back of the net.
Maguire under the magnifying glass
As United’s defense looked to hold their own against a barrage of attacks from West Ham, Maguire missed two tackles.
The Maguire of past seasons would have won the ball handily. Now, however, he is willing to risk a booking and rely on the support of the referees to allow United to get behind the ball and restart.
During this campaign, Maguire has had to accept that the left central position is now reserved for new signing Lisandro Martínez, who has proven his worth.
The Argentine is an exceptional tackler with mobility and a sense of timing superior to Maguire’s. A skilled passer, Martinez also allows the Red Devils to build from behind with confidence.
Maguire will also have to adjust his game to accommodate Diogo Dalot. The Portuguese defender now often moves into midfield, functioning as an additional midfielder.
Despite this, Dalot still put up some impressive defensive numbers against West Ham.
However, the United manager praised Maguire’s performance, saying: “He was magnificent, he protected the box and he’s a great player and it shows how important he is to the team.”
There is a group of United faithful who will feel this is little more than a show of solidarity from the manager.
What is certain is that under Erik ten Hag, the United captain will have to adapt his game. A big part of that will involve rediscovering his confidence to help his teammates bolster the back line.
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