By the end, the Manchester United supporters were customising a chant, one they like to deliver with the arrogance of winners. “You’ve seen United, now go off home,” – albeit with a different verb – was adjusted to incorporate Harry Maguire’s name. Their Nottingham Forest counterparts had indeed seen Maguire: “Leicester reject” echoed around the City Ground, and Leicester would probably like more rejects if they could pocket £80 million for each of them.
But the taunts turned into a triumph of sorts. Maguire could be used to insult the Forest fans but United have won each of the last 11 games he has started. That is not to say they have won because he was starting: he was abject for the first half-hour in Nottingham, decent thereafter. A terrible beginning could have cost United and, when he was booked for wrestling the quicker Taiwo Awoniyi to the ground, leaving him with 87 minutes to survive on a yellow card, there was the chance that sights of Maguire could have been confined to a relatively short period of time.
And, suddenly, United’s season has started to rest on Maguire. Take Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez out, and injuries have, and the most expensive back-up centre-back in the world is suddenly as pivotal was he was in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s plans. Erik ten Hag has prospered by getting upgrades in two partnerships, in the middle of defence and midfield, but as Casemiro was reunited with Christian Eriksen, it was to shield Solskjaer’s long-time centre-back duo. More potent teams than Forest could test Maguire and Victor Lindelof.
If United’s Europa League run ends this week, it will be in part because of the Englishman’s injury-time own goal against Sevilla: Maguire looked both blameless and hapless, and such things can happen to him. He will almost certainly start Thursday’s rematch and, given most of his 11 victories have come at Old Trafford and few against elite opposition, it may be his stiffest test since his campaign began with three consecutive losses.
The opening exchanges at the City Ground may not bode well; indeed Maguire began so sluggishly as to suggest he got the kick-off time wrong by half an hour. There was the loose touch, the pass he directed straight out of play, the handball in his own box from a Forest corner. None was punished – and the latter was a particular escape, the sort of penalty that is often given – but it contributed to a picture of bumbling cumbersomeness. Not for the first time, he seemed the pantomime villain.
The crowd could have got what they wanted if, as Forest manager Steve Cooper had hoped, Maguire had been dismissed and Forest given a golden opportunity to lead. “I think it is a definite penalty from Maguire and possibly a second yellow card and that could be a game-changer,” he said. “I do think it is a really, really, really bad error.” And if that was levelled at the officials, Maguire, luckless on Thursday, may have been more fortunate. If United could have been condemned to defeat, he would have been banned for the pivotal trip to Tottenham – he is already suspended for the FA Cup semi-final – and absent at a point when United need him most.
Those opening 20 minutes were troubled. “Tai gave Maguire a couple of difficult moments,” Cooper added. By the end, however, Erik ten Hag was full of praise. “The centre-backs had great cooperation,” he said. “Harry and Victor dominated their opponents.” That was not initially the case, Maguire’s difficulties in a high defensive line were apparent. He became more authoritative as he grew in confidence.
That early frailty was less encouraging, not least because United’s next three league games are against top-seven opponents, there is a potential European semi-final against Juventus or Sporting Lisbon and a possible FA Cup final with Manchester City. Maguire has been the good omen against lesser sides. Now Martinez is out for the season, Varane for weeks. Even if the Frenchman returns, either he, Lindelof or Luke Shaw will be required to start in the middle of the defence. Ten Hag has hailed Maguire of late. He values him: just not as much as Varane and Martinez.
Compared to Maguire, the Frenchman is altogether smoother, the Argentinian rather more charismatic in his commitment. They have been the double act on a few days when it went very wrong, at Manchester City, Newcastle and Liverpool, but also for most of Ten Hag’s defining wins, beginning when Maguire was dropped for the August game against Jurgen Klopp’s team.
Now 11 straight wins will assume a greater status if they come in Maguire’s next 11 games. Until then, United need the trials and tribulations of Maguire to turn into more triumphs.
