Harry Maguire and Raphael Varane seemed like a centre-back partnership worthy of challenging for the Premier League title in the summer. United have been calamitous in defence instead and that statement looks foolish with the benefit of hindsight.
Maguire has endured a nightmare campaign. The centre-back was exceptional at the European Championship but those performances now feel like a lifetime ago - they were just nine months ago in reality. Maguire has been ponderous, devoid of confidence and unable to arrest his decline this season. There have understandably been calls for United to sign a replacement for him.
Raphael Varane was supposed to be the final piece of the jigsaw alongside Maguire. United's £34m deal to sign Varane from Real Madrid in the summer was a genuine coup and he arrived in Manchester with a CV not many currently playing could compete with.
