Manchester United captain Harry Maguire was heavily criticised by Roy Keane at half-time for his role in Tottenham Hotspur’s goal on Friday night.
The former United captain fumed: “I am staggered at Maguire, how an international player can just get done like that (by Steven Bergwijn’s run for Spurs’ opening goal). I am flabbergasted. Maguire and De Gea ... I wouldn’t even let them on the bus after the match. Get a taxi back to Manchester. Do your job. We’re trying to get into the top four - never mind win trophies - shocking. I am disgusted. They should hang their heads in shame.”
Keane had calmed somewhat by the end of the game and Maguire, like his team, improved.
United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is delighted with Maguire's first season at Old Trafford, passing him the armband and selecting him for at least six more games than any other player at the club. Spurs on Friday was Maguire's 42nd game and he's expected to play his 43rd at Old Trafford on Wednesday against his former club, Sheffield United.
Asked in Wednesday’s United Review match day programme how he feels about no fans being present, Maguire said: “It’s disappointing not to play in front of your fans but, one day, they’ll be back. And, when they’re back, I am sure the atmosphere is going to be even better and louder than it normally is at Old Trafford – if you can beat that.
"We’re going to miss the fans. Home and away, they follow in great numbers and the support is incredible. But we know they’re going to be in front of their TV screens, watching us, shouting us along, and the main thing is we want to put smiles back on their faces.”
It’s not close to the same without fans, but Maguire claims pulling on the United shirt is enough to motivate him.
“Every time you put a kit on with the Manchester United badge on it, you don’t need much spurring on,” he said. “You know how big the club is, the history it has got, and it’s such a big, iconic club. If you can’t get motivated to win a game of football for this club then you’re in the wrong sport, to be honest.”
Home advantage appears to have been lost in matches played in the Bundesliga so far. United’s home record is the fourth best in the Premier League with eight wins from 15 games – twice as many as their four away wins. Liverpool have won all 15 at home. United have won seven of eight home cup matches.
Does Maguire fear a similar effect to the Bundesliga in the Premier League?
“Maybe it does take away the home fans making the atmosphere uncomfortable for the away team, but it’s still about the 11 players who turn up on the day. There is enough talent in our squad to go and beat anyone.
"We’re fully focused on ourselves and are not looking at it being home or away. We’re just seeing every game as a chance to try to get the three points and perform at our best.”
The Yorkshireman retains a great affection for Sheffield United, where he came through the youth ranks and reached the 2011 FA Youth Cup final – against the Manchester United of Paul Pogba, Ravel Morrison and Jesse Lingard.
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“It’s a fantastic football club and one I’m really proud of because of how well they’re doing at the moment,” said Maguire. “I am really thankful for the opportunity they gave me to start my professional career, and the faith and trust they showed in me at a young age. I’m really happy with how they’re doing and theirs is the first result I look for after a game with United. Hopefully, they can finish one place below us!”
The two Uniteds drew 3-3 in a topsy-turvy November encounter at Bramall Lane.
“A crazy game,” said Maguire. “We were really poor in the first half. No doubt about it, it was one of our poorest first halves of the season. We managed to find ourselves two goals down but then got in a great position and looked like we were going to win.
"They didn’t really create any chances in the last 20 or 30 minutes of the game and then, obviously with the last kick, they found space and it was a good finish from Oli McBurnie. In the end, it was a tough result to take but I don’t think we deserved any more on the day than a point. We weren’t good enough and know we have to perform better in this game.”
Sheffield United are sixth in the table, but could go above Manchester United into fifth if they beat Newcastle away on Sunday at St James’ Park. The Blades have only lost twice on the road all season and only Liverpool have lost fewer matches.
Yet Chris Wilder’s side, who were playing third tier football only three years ago, have scored only 13 times in 14 away games. Their 0-0 draw at Aston Villa in their opener to the restart was the least surprising one, though they had a perfectly good goal disallowed.
Maguire will be hoping that his performance is more like the ones which have won him praise throughout the season rather than Keane’s ire.
