Manchester United captain Harry Maguire did not start in the club’s League Cup final success against Newcastle United, but he came on at the end and was smiling in the celebrations and when he spoke to journalists after the match.
Asked if he had any mixed emotions, Maguire said: “No I don’t have any mixed emotions, it’s been so long since the club won a trophy, it’s a really good day for the club and the fans.
“I am club captain and my main job is to move this club forward and to bring success back to the club and today has been part of it.
“Obviously, listen, I am a footballer who wants to play games and I want to lead the boys out of the tunnel at the start of the game but I understand this is part and parcel of football when you play at the top level and you have got huge competition for places.
“It’s a real good day for the club and for me and a proud day for my family who were in the stands and saw me lift my first trophy for Manchester United.”
Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane are currently Erik ten Hag’s preferred central pairing, but Maguire feels like his manager has been honest with him.
“Yeah, definitely,” he said. “He has been asked numerous times about my role in interviews and he tells me honestly, he believes in me but this is football.
“The lads who are playing and starting, Rapha is playing really well and we have seen his ideas, the manager, what he wants, and he does like a left-footed centre-back playing so no, it’s high competition for places. This is Manchester United.
“We want to win trophies – and big trophies – and to do that you need competition for places and the manager speaks to me daily and he really respects me and believes that I am a top centre-half with all the attributes to play in his team, but also he understands that the players who are playing – and I understand that the players who are playing – are playing very well.”
Maguire talked about the importance of United winning a first trophy since 2016. On Wednesday, they face West Ham United in the FA Cup as they seek to add a second trophy this season.
Man United 2 Newcastle 0 - player ratings
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MANCHESTER UNITED RATINGS: David de Gea - 7: In-form and stayed that way. Best first-half save from Saint-Maximin on 31. Big save from a Trippier cross (though he was offside). Judged a run out of his area perfectly to win a 79th-minute Saint-Maximin ball. Brilliant punch to an 85th-minute Trippier corner. . PA -
Diogo Dalot - 5: Booked after a 9th-minute tackle on Saint-Maximin, dangerous ball into the box on 15. Skinned by Saint-Maximin close to goal before he was brought off at half time. AFP -
Raphael Varane - 8: Nipped a third-minute ball away from Wilson but it’s not about the moments with the Frenchman, but the peerless control and calm he brings to the defence. Came to England to win trophies. He’s done that now. EPA -
Lisandro Martinez - 8: Prepared for Newcastle’s fast and furious start but needed attention after a clash of heads with Schar. Still continued to put his head where it could – and did – hurt. A brave performance and a fine understanding with Varane next to him. AP -
Luke Shaw - 7: Fantastic delivery for Casemiro to set up the opening goal. Attacked in the second and could have been more selfish with a 74th-minute break. Reuters -
Fred - 7: Got to a dangerous ball in his own area before Almiron. Booked after 36, but tireless until he was taken off after 69 against a side who started well, played well and remained a threat throughout. Reuters -
Casemiro - 8: MUFC’s most important player against a competent foe, he headed his side ahead after 35 minutes. Straight into the fans asking for more. Pulled back by Joelinton before the break, but vital in the second snuffing out the Geordie attacks. Booked late on. AFP -
Antony - 6: Weak shot on target on 16, then did well to win the ball back a minute later. Twisted and turned past opponents, which infuriated them at one point and led to Casemiro being fouled. He has some way to go, but he has his moments. Getty -
Bruno Fernandes - 7: Busy against Newcastle’s most dangerous player Guimaraes. Ten Hag admonished him at times. Broke on 78 with Rashford to his right, but defender Trippier ended the move. Did well to stop a corner coming in on 90 but a challenge saw cries for a penalty. Broke in time added on but couldn’t add a third. AFP -
Marcus Rashford - 7: A danger when he got the ball, with Newcastle either fouling him or being beaten by him. Struck the second, a crucial finish just before the break, which had a little help from Botman. Shot well saved by Karius on 73. Getty -
Wout Weghorst - 6; Ball to Rashford in an early counter, then held off four players to get the first shot on target on 12. Set up the second, a slide pass to Rashford. Fantastic movement before he unloaded a left-foot shot, which was well saved by Karius on 45. Getty -
SUBS: Aaron Wan-Bissaka - 9: On for Dalot at half-time. Wonderful tackle three minutes in to set up an attack. Created two chances at one end and cleared one at his own end within his first five minutes. Saint-Maximin was a threat in the first half. Much less in the second because of the South Londoner, who loves one-on-one defending. EPA -
Marcel Sabitzer - 8: On for Weghorst after 69 and won the ball back from a slide tackle in the middle before he set up Rashford. Shot over himself, then had a 77th minute shot blocked. Getty -
Scott McTominay -7: On for Fred after 69 as Ten Hag sought to protect his side’s lead. Headed a dangerous Trippier ball – aren’t they all? - away. Reuters -
Jadon Sancho - NA: On for Antony after 82, an illustration of the strength of depth on the MUFC bench. EPA -
Loris Karius - 5: There were so many eyes were on the goalkeeper ahead of his Newcastle debut, but Karius was given no chance by Casemiro and was unfortunate for the second goal. Made good saves to deny Weghorst, Rashford and Fernandes. PA -
Kieran Trippier - 6, Struggled against Rashford at times but was persistent. Also delivered a number of great crosses, including those to set up chances for Fabian Schar and Dan Burn. Did superbly to stop Fernandes’ pass to Rashford. AFP -
Fabian Schar - 4, Bravely won a header that went over the crossbar, but was eased out by Casemiro for the opener and did little to make things difficult for Weghorst in the build-up to the second. Put his team in trouble after getting tackled as he tried to run out from the back. Got booked after a coming together in the final moments. PA -
Sven Botman – 3, After already suffering from a couple of shaky moments, the Dutchman allowed Casemiro to get between him and Schar for the opener, then deflected Rashford’s shot past Karius for an own goal. Stupidly got himself booked for dissent and had some really sloppy moments towards the end. PA -
Dan Burn - 5, Was valiant in his defending against Antony but was toyed with at times in the first half, going on to make some big tackles in the second. Headed wide from a big opportunity and his long throws didn’t amount to much. Getty -
Bruno Guimaraes - 6, Slotted in seamlessly after seeing out a three-game suspension and showed his usual determination, but needlessly fouled Rashford to concede the free-kick that Casemiro scored the opener from. Getty -
Sean Longstaff - 6, Competed well and played a great pass across the face of goal that nobody got on the end of. PA -
Joelinton - 7, Put in a determined display but was too slow on the ball at times. Booked after smashing the ball at Antony and pulling down Casemiro out of frustration at the end of the first half. Unlucky to see two shots in quick succession blocked and an inventive header saved. PA -
Miguel Almiron - 6, Made some great bursts forward but couldn’t find the pass in a promising situation and hit a wild shot from another. Saw his shot blocked after a determined run and had a quiet second half. AFP -
Callum Wilson - 4, Was let down by a poor touch early on and his header towards goal was an unconvincing one. Saw a shot blocked after showing good awareness from a quick free-kick. AFP -
Allan Saint-Maximin - 6, Had bright moments and got Dalot booked inside the opening 10 minutes, then saw a strong shot blocked after showing quick feet in the box. Didn’t get anywhere near as much joy against Wan-Bissaka. AFP -
SUBS: Alexander Isak (Longstaff, HT) - 6, Made a determined burst forward with his first couple of contributions but faded out of the game as it went on. AFP -
Jacob Murphy (Saint-Maximin, 78’) – N/R, Won a corner moments after coming on and did brilliantly to prevent two breaks forward from the Red Devils, stopping Fernandes’ pass to Rashford and halting Antony. Sent a couple of ambitious strikes off target. PA -
Joe Willock (Guimaraes, 79’) – N/R, Showed some nice moments of quality but nothing that truly troubled United’s backline. Reuters -
Matt Ritchie (Wilson, 91’) – N/R, Showed a willingness to fight for the ball despite the game being out of reach. PA -
Elliot Anderson (Almiron, 91’) – N/R, Got involved in some pushing and shoving in the final moments. AFP
“Winning games breeds confidence and a good atmosphere among the fans and the club we are all pulling in the same direction, we all want the same thing,” he said. “We have got a good squad, good competition for places and the manager’s made a big impact on the style of play and in the demands he brings, it seems to be going in a good place.”
Maguire emphasises the excellent mood. “The lads get on really well, and are a tight bunch, good spirit, everyone contributing.
“The lads who aren’t playing, myself included, are working hard and pushing those who are playing to perform well and they are. That is what a big club’s about. What is being built here is why we are in all four competitions.”
Maguire agrees that United have looked like a team close to a return to greatness several times in the last decade since Sir Alex Ferguson departed.
“When I first came to this club it felt like we had turned a corner, then we had a bad season and things changed again so I think if you spoke to the manager he would tell you he has great confidence in his tools and his work and the squad he is building in terms of the players and staff. They are behind him. The belief in the squad, the players, the staff is the reason why we are moving forward.”
United have won the League Cup but are still in the FA Cup, where West Ham visit Old Trafford on Wednesday. Victory over Barcelona last week ensured a passage to the last 16 of the Europa League, while Ten Hag’s team are third in the Premier League.
Maguire thinks the World Cup marked a turning point. “Before the World Cup we had great fight and spirit and we didn’t really put in the actions that the manager wanted, but since the World Cup we did that.
“Today was a little bit scrappy, but that happens in finals and there were probably some nerves out there, but we had two big moments and we managed to lift the trophy.
“We are in four competitions, three now because we have won one, and it’s going to be tough to win all four but, while we are in them, we go into every game trying to win it, starting with Wednesday.”
