Manchester United have had few players with a more chaotic career than Harry Maguire.
Peaks and troughs
The veteran defender was brought into the club for a mammoth fee in 2019 and despite originally impressing, became an internet meme with how poor his form became.
It seemed he was on the verge of leaving Old Trafford in the summer of 2023 but he has fought back and made himself into one of the club’s key defenders and leaders.
He has developed a knack for scoring late goals, none more famous than the last-gasp winner versus Olympique Lyonnais in the Europa League last season.
Nonetheless, he arguably bettered this contribution with the winning goal at Anfield on Sunday that no United fan will forget in a hurry.
Maguire let down by club
Speaking on The Good, the bad and the Football podcast, three United legends, Paul Scholes, Steve Bruce and Nicky Butt all sympathised with the abuse Maguire has suffered during his Old Trafford career.
Paul Scholes commented, “I’m pleased for Harry Maguire as well, it has been an important day for him.”
Steve Bruce also added, “I think we are all delighted for him. We all know him and we know he’s been made a bit of a scapegoat, really. For all that’s happened. I don’t think he’s ever really let United down.”
Nicky Butt then took the conversation in a different direction, blaming his former side for Maguire’s suffering over the years.
He elaborated, “the club has let him down if I’m honest. With Harry, he’s gone into that club and he’s never had a player next to him who can complement him.”
Butt explained, “basically, what Man United have tried to do over the year is try to play out from the back and get Harry on the ball and play out from the back like a Rio (Ferdinand) or a footballing centre back. He just doesn’t have that in his locker. He’s got his reward yesterday for all the cr*p he’s had for the last two or three years.”
Bruce finished off by claiming he was “delighted” for the centre back and he now has a memory which “can stay with him for a long time.”
“Man United have let Maguire down…”
New ep out now with special guest Steve Bruce 💥 pic.twitter.com/3W3HXdooZO
— The Good, The Bad & The Football (@goodbadftblpod) October 20, 2025
Featured image Michael Reagan via Getty Images
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Alex Browne
Alex is a huge Manchester United fan, inspired by greats of his homeland such as George Best, Harry Gregg and Norman Whiteside. Alex has a Master’s degree from Queen’s University Belfast and La Universitat Rovira i Virgili in Tarragona, Spain. Having lived in the country since 2011, Alex is The Peoples Person’s Spanish football expert and is fluent in both Spanish and Catalan. He dreams of witnessing a United captain triumphantly hoisting the Premier League and Champions League trophy in the air once more.
