Manchester United: Harry Maguire needs to step up against Newcastle as Ole's boys brace fo tough tests ahead
Manchester United have had a tough season so far. Off the court, they continue to garner flak along with Liverpool for 'Project Big Picture'. As far as games go, they are in dire straits placed at 16th position with just one win from three games, the most recent coming in the form of a 1-6 mauling at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur. Their manager Ole Gunnar Solksjaer faces some intense heat to deliver as the Red Devils take on Newcastle on Saturday (October 17) at St. James Park.
Harry Maguire's slump has been a major cause of concern. His abysmal run hurt England too as the three lions went down to Denmark 1-0 at Wembley on Wednesday. His poor form further compounded by a first-half red card has raised some eyebrows from supporters even as the support staff rally behind the defender. Maguire was issued a booking inside the first five minutes before a pathetic touch in the 31st minute and then committed the mistake of lunging in Kasper Dolberg to earn his second yellow.
This was followed by a shot Christian Eriksen converted from the penalty spot which sealed England's fate. Now couple this with the fact United have actually conceded nine goals in their season so far. Maguire, in addition to his on-field form slump, he has also been plagued with personal issues. He was left out of the national side last month after being found guilty of aggravated assault, resisting arrest, and repeated attempts of bribery after an incident in Mykonos, Greece in August.
However, Maguire has found support in former players and managers who believe he can turn things around even as time runs out for United to hit the straps quickly. Harry Redknapp, talking on Sky Sports, asked fans to be patient and look at the larger picture with Maguire. "It's easy for us to sit here and rip him apart. He's having a nightmare, he's conceding goals," he said.
"He's having a moment. He's having a really bad moment in his career, he's going to have to somehow pull himself together, he's got to get back. Big weekend for him coming up for Manchester United. He's got to get his confidence back because he's a player really lacking confidence. There is a lot going on in his life and I think we sometimes forget that. When you go out on the football field you think everything is going to be right, but you can genuinely see he's really struggling with his game at the moment."
Manchester United take on Newcastle on Saturday and Maguire will be hoping to regain his mojo. He is the best defender in the Red Devils ranks especially when it comes to carrying the ball forward up the pitch, a move he does on more than one occasion. Stats say he is the only central defender in the top 10 list to have carried the ball 6187 yards this season. Following the Newcastle game, Solskjaer's men take on Paris Saint-Germain and RB Leipzig in their UEFA Champions League fixtures, followed by their Premier League games against Chelsea and Arsenal.
And for Maguire, that means time to rediscover his ability to win games for United. And fast.