The Red Devils captain failed to get his hands on a trophy in 2020-21, with his domestic season ended by an ankle injury
Harry Maguire and Manchester United ended the 2020-21 campaign empty-handed, with the club captain at Old Trafford challenging the Red Devils to “put it right next season” as they seek to end a barren spell on the trophy front.
Four years have passed since Jose Mourinho delivered Europa League glory back in 2017.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer guided his side to the final of that competition this season, while also securing a runner-up finish in the Premier League, but expectation is high in Manchester and more is demanded from an ambitious outfit.
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What has been said?
Maguire admits as much, telling The Sun of the challenges faced by a star-studded squad: “There is pressure every game you play for United.
“You are expected to win so not winning the Europa League final does not put more pressure on.
“Even if we had won the trophy, the fans, quite rightly, would have demanded that we go and win another trophy next season anyway.
“We have to put it right next season. We have got to improve in everything we do on and off the pitch.”
Frustration for Maguire
United ended the season without their skipper, with an £80 million ($113m) asset picking up an unfortunate ankle injury on May 9.
He is yet to return to action for club or country, with England international Maguire admitting to feeling frustrated after starting to find his best form.
The 28-year-old centre-half said: “Myself and the United team had a really bad start. We did not get a good pre-season and started the season really slowly but we soon improved.
“At the time of the injury, I had been playing the best football of my career.
“I had been really happy with my game for a few months. I was playing with a lot of confidence and belief.
“My fitness levels before the injury were really good. I was playing week in, week out and that had put me in a really good place in terms of my defending and when I had possession.
“I have to remember that feeling when I was playing well and must work hard to be fit and be ready to go again and continue where I left off.”
The bigger picture
Having been forced to sit out one major final, and with questions being asked of his fitness on Euro 2020 duty, Maguire is determined to start righting individual and collective wrongs.
He added: “Playing in a big European final was what I had dreamed of.
“So to miss the game was really tough and to then not get the result we really wanted made it even worse.
“It was a massive disappointment, not just for myself but for the rest of the lads, the staff, the club in general and the fans.”
Further reading
- Solskjaer hints at striker signing while promising summer additions
- Man Utd urged to ‘send message’ with Kane move
- Ronaldo used Man Utd ‘as an apprenticeship’
