Connect with us

Manchester United

Erik ten Hag hails Harry Maguire for winning November Player of the Month award, joins Ferdinand and Vidic in the elite list 

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has lauded Harry Maguire for fighting back into the team and winning the Premier League Player of the Month award for November.

Maguire has become only the third Man United centre-back to win the award, following in the footsteps of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic.

Talking to ManUtd.com, Ten Hag said the England International is a worthy recipient of the prize.

He said: “I think he deserves it a lot. We know he had a tough year last season, but he kept fighting and he fought himself back in the team and I think he’s playing excellently. 

“He’s leading the team and he is defending very well. I think he’s very proactive in and out of possession, so he deserves it. 

“Absolutely. As you say, only the third, so that tells you something. 

“I don’t think defenders, very often, get this award. So it says absolutely something about his great form and about his character as well.”

Harry Maguire deserves his starting place

Stories of redemptions are always sweet to hear. The same must be said about Maguire’s unbelievable redemption arc.

No one would have given the 30-year-old a chance to get back into the team after being stripped of the captaincy in the summer. He was made available for transfer and linked with West Ham United.

Injuries to Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane came as a blessing in disguise for Maguire.

Ten Hag opted to play him in the right centre-back spot, a position from where the England international now seems irreplaceable.

The former Leicester City defender has been rock solid in the heart of the defence.

He has been proactive in making crucial blocks and interceptions and is limiting his urge to make an early tackle and open up space behind for opponents to exploit.

Ten Hag wants his centre-backs to play out from the back, and Maguire is nailing that assignment.

Maguire has been making progressive and incisive passes. He regularly finds Alejandro Garnacho on the left flank with his long balls to initiate attacks.

Hopefully, he can continue his purple patch and help Man United achieve positive results.