Manchester United legend Gary Pallister has suggested that Ruben Amorim should consider dropping a Europa League hero as he may not be the out-and-out best player in any position he’s capable of playing.
Amorim has at his disposal seven centre-backs at United. Currently, Jonny Evans and Victor Lindelof are in addition to Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, Ayden Heaven, Matthijs de Ligt and Leny Yoro.
However, the former pair are set to move on for free in the summer – Evans’ departure has been confirmed – so that drops the number to five.
Of those five, Red Devils legend Pallister feel two walk into the side for next season, and Maguire, though in sumptuous form at the moment, is not one of them.
“I’d play Lisandro Martinez as the left-sided centre-back. I would play Leny Yoro as the right-sided centre-back as he has got the pace to cover in the wide areas, and then Amorim has got a decision to make whether it will be Harry Maguire or Matthijs de Ligt,” Pallister told GIVEMESPORT.
“I think they’re both more attuned to playing in the middle of the three, because I don’t think they’re blessed with great pace, but they read the game really well, and they’re confident on the ball.
“I would choose from either of them two, and then I think it’s about getting your wing-backs sorted as well. Patrick Dorgu has had an alright start and Diogo Dalot has been there for a number of years and does a good job there.”
At present, it would seem harsh to rip Maguire out of the side. He has had to work very hard to get his game back in a good place, after being stripped of the captaincy by former boss Erik ten Hag and regularly being left on the bench by the Dutchman.
Maguire has been particularly heroic in the Europa League campaign this season. United were minutes from being dumped out by Lyon in the quarter-finals, but a Maguire header completed a fantastic comeback in a 7-6 aggregate win.
He had earlier assisted United’s second goal in the second leg. In the first leg of the semi-final, the defender showed his qualities as a winger, skinning a defender twice before placing an inch perfect cross on Manuel Ugarte’s head, who glanced it across to Casemiro for the opening goal.
United won that game 3-0, and Maguire helped to set the tone. His rebirth up top has been such that we believe he could rival Rasmus Hojlund for a spot there – that would end discourse about him being dropped at the back!
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