Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has expressed hope that he won’t be needed up front to chase a goal if his team falls behind in the upcoming Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur.
United are set to face Tottenham at San Mames on Wednesday evening, in a high-stakes clash.
The winner will not only secure a European trophy, but they’ll also guarantee themselves a place in next season’s Champions League.
For both United and Tottenham, this match represents a potential silver lining, as both clubs have endured miserable Premier League seasons and currently sit 16th and 17th in the table, respectively.
Ahead of the fixture, Maguire accompanied manager Ruben Amorim and teammate Bruno Fernandes in the pre-match presser and answered questions from journalists.
Asked about the attacking instincts he has shown in the Europa League this term, Maguire joked, “The manager has me dribbling every day in training, up and down the wing!”
“Listen, I found myself on the wing against Bilbao and I managed to put a cross in. I have gone up front in latter minutes of games. Tomorrow night, I hope not to be going up front and chasing a league.”
“I am more than happy playing in my favourite position.”
Regarding United’s inconsistency between their European and domestic form, Maguire answered, “Of course it’s a frustration. When you play for this club, you want to win every football match, and this season we have been far too inconsistent.”
“We have not been good enough in the Premier League. It has been different in the Europa League. We have proven this season we can beat anyone.”
“We can improve next season. But we have an important game tomorrow night. We have prepared well and we are looking forward to it.”
On turning things around at United, Maguire said, “It is amazing to be back in the team and playing regularly. This season, I have played a lot football. I don’t take too much notice of the plaudits from the media.”
“I try and stay as level as I can and go into every game trying to do my best, and that is all you can do.”
United vs. Tottenham kicks off at 20:00 BST.
Featured image Clive Brunskill via Getty Images
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Derick Kinoti
Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the game extensively for many years. He is a keen analyst with expertise in SEO and journalism standards. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!
