Rio Ferdinand believes Harry Maguire can follow David de Gea’s example as he looks to return to form for Manchester United.
The defender made his return to the starting line-up against West Ham, and helped United eke out a crucial 1-0 win as they kept the visitors at bay at Old Trafford.
Maguire’s appearance marked his first start of 2022, having missed the start of the New Year through injury, and it proved to be an important performance for the United captain during a season in which his place in the side has come under regular scrutiny.
Reflecting to Maguire's performance, Ferdinand told Vibe With Five : “I think sometimes you need to be taken out of the fire. He’s needed that, he’s been under huge pressure, that comes with being Man United captain, that’s part of it.
“I think the proof will be in the pudding. We have to see it now, he’s come back in straight away, he looked very good at the weekend against West Ham – can he maintain that until the end of the season now?
“That will be the deciding factor on whether it was the right decision. I think he needed it. Sometimes you need to sit out and take stock, reboot yourself and go again.”
Ferdinand believes Maguire can now learn from his goalkeeper, having seen De Gea recover from a shaky period of form to star again for United this season.
“I think David de Gea was a good example,” Ferdinand added.
“When he first came and he was playing and he made a few mistakes, I remember the manager calling me and a few of the experienced lads into his office, saying ‘listen, I’ve got David de Gea sitting there, playing against Liverpool at Anfield, huge game, pressure situation, do I go with the kid or do I bring someone in with experience’.
“We all kind of sat there and gave our opinions, and the manager ended up keeping him in.
“The kid had a decent game, and it built his confidence again straight back from there, but he knew that was like a last chance saloon maybe as a young keeper, and he responded well.
“Those little things build character, and without those little things happening to David, you don’t get the David today that came back from the situation that he was in this time last year where everyone was saying ‘he’s finished at Man United, we’ve got to get rid of him’ to now people saying he’s one of the best in the world again.”
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