Harry Maguire has claimed that aspiring central defenders should model the “most underrated player” he’s ever played with.
Harry Maguire has been excellent since his return to the Manchester United starting lineup under Michael Carrick. To start with, he played alongside Lisandro Martínez, but has continued to impress with Leny Yoro next to him.
When Maguire first joined United under Ole Gunnar Solskjær, he was one of the most important players in the side, quickly being awarded the captain’s armband after Ashley Young’s January exit to Inter Milan.
The £80 million transfer fee appeared to weigh too heavily for Maguire, who was stripped of his captaincy by Erik ten Hag in favour of Bruno Fernandes.
Defenders came and left Old Trafford, but Maguire remained due to his strong character and leadership, which appears to be recognised more at United now than it ever has before.
Maguire names former teammate as “most underrated”
Jonny Evans’ return to United, as a player, was rather short-lived, but he didn’t fail to make an impact on the squad.
Since retiring, the former central defender was briefly the Loan Manager and is now a first-team coach under Michael Carrick after returning to Old Trafford to help Darren Fletcher.
Speaking in an interview with the club, Maguire said: “I’d say Jonny [Evans] for me was probably the most underrated player I’ve ever played with.
“If I was a young boy and I was teaching someone to watch defending and watch body positioning and watch movement, I’d say watch Jonny Evans.
“He was that good at his body positioning and the way that he’s so active in every part of the game.”
Want to stay as up-to-date as possible on the latest Manchester United updates? Add UtdDistrict as a preferred source on Google for news you can rely on.
Evans will push Heaven and Yoro to new heights
United’s young centre-back talent could be the face of Old Trafford for years to come: Ayden Heaven and Leny Yoro have already impressed when given the chance under Rúben Amorim and now Michael Carrick.
Read More: Manchester United “closely monitoring” Champions League star who Rúben Amorim would’ve loved
As part of his new role at the club, Evans will be able to help Heaven and Yoro reach their full potential, maybe even exceeding the abilities of Martínez and Maguire.
However, if Carrick isn’t kept at Old Trafford beyond the end of the season, Evans may also leave and look for a new role in football. It is important not to forget that he only left his role as Loan Manager a few months ago.
Evans is another member of the coaching team who has impressed since he joined the first team, along with former Under-21s boss Travis Binnion.
Make sure to follow UtdDistrict on X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok to never miss out on any of our Manchester United content. Our podcast, What the Devil?, is streamed live every Thursday at 14:00 pm (GMT) on the United View YouTube channel.