If there is a key trait for a Manchester United captain, it is that they step up in their side's time of need. It is not a characteristic that has been closely associated with Harry Maguire during his time at the club, but it was certainly present last weekend.
The 29-year-old struggled at first upon his return to the United starting line-up, and West Ham exploited the space between him and Lisandro Martinez early on.
As the game went on, Maguire was clearly more comfortable in his role, improving with every minute he played as he looked to regain confidence after a calamitous calendar year.
READ NEXT: United could be about to start their most complete midfield
United were holding on for dear life by the end of the match, with David de Gea producing more stunning saves for his highlights reel and Diogo Dalot destroying danger with a string of vital back-post clearances. Martinez was magnificent, again, but so was his defensive partner, Maguire.
When it mattered most, he really made a difference. Maguire was superb in dealing with a barrage of crosses into the box and played a key role in organising the United defence as they held tight to frustrate their opponents.
His crowning moment came in the 93rd minute. Pablo Fornals beat Bruno Fernandes with ease out wide and cut the ball back to Jarrod Bowen who was unmarked six yards out.
He hit a first-time shot that was destined for the far corner of the net. Maguire stood firm to block it. The ball was cleared, but West Ham came forward again.
25 seconds later, Said Benrahma ran at goal and aimed a long-range effort. This time the United captain flew in and cleanly won the ball, before De Gea reacted superbly to deny Declan Rice's outrageous attempt from the rebound.
Sure, it might not have been a complete captain’s display to go down in history like Roy Keane vs Juventus or Steve Bruce vs Sheffield Wednesday, but it was enough for United on the day.
So what is next for Maguire? Well, it is quite clear he still needs to improve if he is to ever match the standards set by Raphael Varane this season, but with the Frenchman sidelined for the next fortnight, he might well get the chance.
His performance against West Ham could well prove to be a sliding doors moment in a possible redemption story, given Victor Lindelof was set to start on Sunday if not for his own illness.
It remains to be seen whether or not the Sweden international will be back in contention to face Real Sociedad on Thursday night. Even if he is, he is not certain to start.
If both fit, then the crucial Europa League clash will determine who Ten Hag really views as his best back-up option in defence, something that could have huge implications next year.
Both Lindelof and Maguire would be content with occupying the third-choice centre-back role if necessary, given they’d still get plenty of game time over the course of a season, though it wouldn’t be so favourable being the fourth option in central defence.
In the long run, whoever starts on the bench on Thursday night could well consider their long-term future at the club and look to move on next year if they still haven’t moved up the pecking order.
Maguire deserves credit for the key role he played last weekend but it will count for little if he doesn’t build upon it the next time he takes to the pitch.
The real challenge lies ahead for him, but he at least deserves some credit for giving Ten Hag a genuine dilemma to solve.
NEXT UP:
