Not many Manchester United supporters would have been disappointed if Harry Maguire had been dropped for last night’s match against Brighton.
Maguire, however, got the nod to start the game and was partnered by Victor Lindelof after Raphael Varane pulled out with illness before kick-off.
United’s game with Brighton was a big test for the defence, especially Maguire. He came through it well, with the team keeping a much needed clean sheet in a 2-0 win.
David de Gea was still needed to bail the team out a couple of times, and Brighton hit the bar, even before Danny Welbeck missed a late header. So it was not a perfect defensive performance.
It was a much improved one though, particularly from Harry Maguire, who will be relieved the Seagulls did not have an Armando Broja spearheading their attack.
Maguire responded well
Harry Maguire won three aerial duels, more than any Manchester United player. He also made five clearances, also a team high.
Maguire went on to make four interceptions, a number bettered only by Brighton’s Yves Bissouma with six.
The defender completed 90 per cent of his passes and also had a late shot which forced Robert Sanchez into a low save.
Question marks still hover over Maguire of course. The weekend’s match against Leeds will be another test, and they only get harder after that, with Atletico Madrid, and then a Watford side he was sent off against last time he played them.
For the time being this performance was enough to take some of the heat off the United and England defender.
As noted, it was far from perfect, but it was a step in the right direction, and so credit where it is due after a couple of quite terrible performances in the lead-up to last night’s game.
A clean sheet will do wonders for the confidence of United’s players and it would be very welcome to follow it up with another against Leeds this weekend.
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