Having endured a difficult individual campaign with Manchester United so far this season, the break in the domestic season arguably came at the perfect time for Harry Maguire. The club captain, who had made just nine appearances for Erik ten Hag's side in all competition prior to the World Cup in Qatar, was able to return to a set-up that he had enjoyed and thrived in.
Maguire has struggled for form at Old Trafford for the past year and beyond, but his performances on the international stage have remained strong. The 29-year-old has been an integral part of Gareth Southgate's squad for a number of years and recently recorded his 52nd cap for his country.
While it has not been the start to the domestic campaign that Maguire - or United - will have been hoping for, Ten Hag has always insisted that the former Leicester City man would, at some point, recover from his prolonged malaise. Despite making just three Premier League starts for the Reds this term, and losing his place to Raphael Varane in August, he has maintained the backing of the people that matter the most to him.
