Harry Maguire became the most expensive defender in history when Manchester United spent in excess of 80 million pounds to secure his services from Leicester City in the summer of 2019. A year on, the English centre half has been made club captain and is a mainstay of the Red Devils’ rearguard in the league and in Europe.
Although United spent a world record transfer fee to be a calming presence and tighten up things at the back, which Maguire has done since joining the club – he is also expected to be a threat in both ends of the field, with his intimidating frame and aerial prowess.
Maguire did not do any justice to his immense ability in the opposition box when he missed from half a yard out against AC Milan tonight in their UEFA Europa League outing.
Manchester United are facing Italian giants AC Milan in the Round of 16 of the UEFA Europa League, as two of the traditional giants of European football go head to head over two legs.
Playing the first leg at Old Trafford, United were handed an incredible chance to go ahead in the match in the 38th minute, when they won a corner on the right flank that Alex Telles curled towards the near post. As Bruno Fernandes rose to flick a header to the back post, it was Maguire who attacked the far post and seemed certain to convert from very close range – but the ball hit his shin and then cannoned off the post before falling to safety for the visitors.
Maguire’s inability to convert the golden opportunity has been subjected to a lot of banter on Twitter, as both fans and rivals are in utter disbelief over the defender’s miss from inches out in the first half.
Maguire 🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/cdgyjJJ27K
— Italian Football TV (@IFTVofficial) March 11, 2021