Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has ruled out the idea of Harry Maguire returning to his long-time position of left-centre-back following Lisandro Martinez's season-ending injury.
Martinez suffered a broken metatarsal during United's 2-2 draw against Sevilla on Thursday. With Raphael Varane and Luke Shaw also unavailable, Ten Hag was forced to call on club captain Maguire and Victor Lindelof against Nottingham Forest on Sunday.
Maguire and Lindelof are used to playing alongside each other at centre-back, with Maguire featuring on the left and Lindelof on the right throughout Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's time in charge of the Red Devils. Yet the Norwegian's successor Ten Hag is reluctant to play Maguire on the left and explained why after the 2-0 win against Forest at the City Ground.
Maguire struggled against Forest and was fortunate to avoid conceding a penalty and a red card when he appeared to handle the ball in the box. When asked whether Maguire will play on the left by Sky Sports, Ten Hag replied: "Not this season.
"The angles are not good for Harry if he is playing on the left side, it’s difficult for him also defending in wide areas on his left foot but I think he is more capable on the right.
"Victor is very good, he can use both feet and I think he also did a brilliant job in the rest of defence and the defensive transitions. That’s why we prefer to do it with them in this way."
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Maguire, who turned 30 last month, was signed by United from Leicester for £80million in the summer of 2019, which is a world-record transfer fee for a defender. He made a name for himself at Sheffield United, Hull, Wigan and Leicester as a left-centre-back.
Maguire's first two seasons at Old Trafford were a huge success, as he played 107 games in all competitions. Yet an injury forced him to miss the 2021 Europa League final - which United lost on penalties to Villarreal - and his club form has dropped since.
Maguire has struggled to break back into United's staring XI under Ten Hag, with Varane and Martinez forming an impressive partnership. Yet the England international now has a great chance to prove his worth between now and the end of the season.
Maguire is expected to start the second leg of United's Europa League tie against Sevilla this Thursday, as he is suspended for their following game against Brighton in the FA Cup semi-final. Maguire picked up too many yellow cards earlier in the competition.
Although Maguire finished Sunday's game, Forest manager Steve Cooper believes the defender should've been dismissed. On the handball incident, Cooper told reporters: "I think it's a definite penalty from Maguire and possibly a second yellow card, which could have been a game-changer. I think it's a really, really, really bad error.
"One from the referee on the pitch, but benefit of the doubt from that angle and bodies around the ball, but for VAR not to give it. They apologised last week and they are going to have to apologise again tomorrow, which means absolutely nothing."
