Ten Hag backed to get best out of Maguire by former Man Utd defender Stam

Posted Thursday, May 05, 2022 by Goal.com

The England centre-back has come under fire this year as the Red Devils defence has struggled

Former Manchester United star Jaap Stam believes that Harry Maguire can turn around his fortunes at Old Trafford under the guidance of incoming manager Erik ten Hag.

Maguire, 29, has come under fire for his performances during a disappointing season for the Red Devils in 2021-22.

But he remains United's captain, and Stam claims that the Ajax coach's arrival could mark a turning point for the centre-back.

"I still think that Harry is a good player. He is a good defender," the former United and Netherlands defender told PA.

"You need to understand that every player - and I've had it myself - goes through rough spells that he's having and hard times, the confidence is a bit low, he's not feeling well and making mistakes. So when you cost £100m and you are making a mistake, yeah, the pressure on you is a lot more than when you're costing a few quid.

"He's played this season good games as well. Having this season now and maybe a new coach coming in, having a fresh start, learning a lot from this season as well and what he's done and what he needs to do.

"Does he need to make a change or not? Maybe having different players next to him or in front of him can help him out as well in terms of feeling more confident, so maybe next season you'll see a total different player."

Maguire became the world's most expensive defender in 2019 when he joined United from Leicester City in a deal believed to be worth £80 million.

He made a strong start at the club and just months after signing was installed as the club captain by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, a position he has held ever since.

In 2021-22, however, Maguire has found himself under pressure as he has taken much of the blame for the Reds' subpar displays.

The club has conceded 52 goals in their 36 Premier League outings so far, up from 44 the previous term; though the biggest fall-off has been in attack, despite the return of Cristiano Ronaldo, where their goal tally has fallen from 73 to just 57 this season.

United currently occupy sixth place in the league standings, a position that would see them play in the Conference League in 2022-23.