Manchester United
Maguire Says Form Has Been Consistent, Backs United For Title Push
Maguire defends consistency, cites 78% aerial win rate and urges heavy recruitment for next season.
Harry Maguire has used a series of interviews this week to set out a clear defence of his recent career and to lay down high expectations for Manchester United.
The 33-year-old, who regained a club place after a difficult spell and the loss of the captaincy under Erik ten Hag, rejected the notion that his performances have been inconsistent. “I actually think, six of the [seven] seasons, I’ve performed really well,” he told The Athletic. “I’d have loved seven out of seven, and not had this little blip along the way and everyone won’t be speaking about it as much.”
Maguire also framed his international prospects confidently as he vies for selection for Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup roster. “Whatever role the manager would want me for, whether that’s starting or deciding games late on… I still believe, even at my age, I’m arguably one of the best defenders in the world in both boxes. I don’t think that’s open to question, really.”
The centre back pointed to measurable strengths in support of that belief. No Premier League player can better Maguire’s aerial win rate of 78% this season, per Opta. Ruben Amorim has praised his set-piece threat, calling him “the only guy that can score a goal with his headers.” Maguire added: “I have great self-belief, more importantly, that I’m a top player,” Maguire insisted. “That’s what helps me when things are tough.”
He was equally bullish about United’s prospects. “I don’t think there’s any ceiling on it looking at the Premier League at the moment,” Maguire told The Telegraph when quizzed on United’s prospects. “I think over the last few years you’ve obviously had Manchester City, who were really tough to catch, and before the start of any season you knew you had to put a points tally together where it was some going to catch them.
“I think next season you look at it we’ve got to be in the bracket where, if we get the recruitment right and everything’s positive from now to the end of this season, there’s no ceiling of where we can reach.
“If we were speaking about it [the title] at the end of last season [when United finished 15th], you’d probably think we were a bit stupid really. But we’re in a strong position now.
“Come February, March, we don’t want to be adrift like we have been this year. We’ve got to be in the conversation to go and win the big trophies.”
Maguire stressed the importance of recruitment as United prepare for European competition and a bigger fixture load. “I always want to be part of a squad that I felt like could compete and the recruitment went well last year, we brought in some top players who helped us,” Maguire told ESPN. “I think this summer’s going to be a big summer, I think we’ve got to recruit really well,” Maguire warned. “Obviously there’s a big manager decision as well, but I think the recruitment side of it is bringing players in.
“I think this summer has got to be a big year because we’re not in Europe this year, we’ve played 40 games at the end of the season, and we definitely need a bigger squad next year.”
Fulham
Cunha Salvages United at Fulham, But Larger Issues Remain
United rescued a point at Fulham, but the performance and stats left fresh concerns before the break.
Manchester United avoided a second straight Premier League defeat with a late equaliser at Fulham, but the result did little to quiet the concern around their start to the 2026/27 season.
For much of the afternoon, it seemed as if United were heading for consecutive league losses for the first time in more than a year, dating back to the closing stages of 2024/25. The match changed in the 89th minute when Matheus Cunha struck from distance, only for the effort to be heavily deflected off David Affengruber and beyond Bernd Leno.
The point leaves United on five from five, a tally that matches their joint-lowest at this stage of a Premier League campaign, alongside 2014/15. They will remain 12th during the international break before returning on Oct. 10 against Tottenham Hotspur, who are bottom of the table.
Gary Neville, speaking on Sky Sports, offered a blunt assessment of the period after half-time, describing it as the “worst” 15 minutes he’s ever seen from any Manchester United team. United’s tempo, urgency and willingness to run were all questioned, with the side having covered almost 7 kilometers less than Fulham by the 73rd minute.
Senne Lammens kept United in touch in the first half with four saves, including quick stops to deny Joshua King and Sander Berge. He later could have done better when Fulham went ahead, as his parry from Calvin Bassey’s shot created the opening for the goal.
Marcus Rashford’s return has been viewed positively in general, yet this match underlined the gap between effort and end product. In 77 minutes, he led United for touches in the opposition box and shots, but still left without a goal contribution. Across six appearances this season, he has yet to score or assist.
There was also curiosity over United’s all-blue away kit, worn competitively for the first time on Sunday after only appearing in preseason.
Manchester United
Carrick welcomes uncertainty as United search for clearer rhythm
Carrick says United’s lack of identity can make them harder to read, not easier to stop.
Michael Carrick has brushed off criticism over Manchester United’s supposed lack of identity, arguing that it can actually work in the team’s favour if opponents cannot work them out.
United have made a mixed start to the new season. They failed to score in two of their opening four Premier League matches, have not kept a clean sheet in the division, and have taken only two wins from six games in all competitions. Their recent Carabao Cup exit has only intensified the discussion around what Carrick is trying to build.
But the manager is not troubled by the debate. Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of Sunday’s meeting with Fulham, he made clear that unpredictability is part of the plan.
“I quite like the fact that someone can’t work out our identity, to be honest. That means you’re unpredictable. From an attacking sense, we want to be unpredictable,” the manager told Sky Sports in the buildup to Sunday’s important encounter against Fulham.
“We don’t want people to be able to read what we are going to do next or what our main strength is. If we can do a good number of things well and attack from a number of areas, I’d rather have a team that does that. We’ve attacked well since January, scored a good number of goals and being unpredictable is a good thing.”
United remain in a period of development, with the club still aiming for the Premier League title by next season as part of a wider ambition to reclaim the trophy during, or before, its 150th anniversary year in 2027-28.
That sense of growth was also reflected in Carrick’s comments on Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven, both of whom started the Carabao Cup defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion. Yoro is 20, Heaven is 19, and Carrick said he would not make any rushed judgments after that result at Old Trafford.
“I think they’ll learn from different experiences and they’ve done particularly well and they’re in a really good spot, two young players that have got really good futures,” the manager told reporters.
“So unfortunately you go through times in football and you have some good spells and sometimes you learn a lot from the things that didn’t go so well. But I wouldn’t isolate them at all from the other night.”
He added of Yoro: “Leny is 20, and again in context, he’s got a fantastic future ahead of him and a lot of potential. He’s learning, he’s developing,” Carrick stressed. “To be at this club and play as a center back at such a young age is a challenging position. It’s one that he can do for sure, it’s one that Ayden can do for sure.
Fulham
Šeško ruled out as United wait on injury assessment
Šeško missed United’s visit to Fulham while Carrick waits on an injury assessment.
Benjamin Šeško was absent from Manchester United’s squad for the trip to Fulham after Michael Carrick confirmed the striker is being assessed over an unspecified injury.
Carrick had managed Šeško carefully at the start of the season, using him as a substitute in United’s first four Premier League matches. The 23-year-old was then fit to start the club’s opening Champions League game of the campaign, where he scored in the win over Sabah FK, and he also featured in Wednesday’s Carabao Cup meeting with Brighton & Hove Albion.
Earlier this month, Šeško had sounded upbeat about his recovery, saying: “I think waiting a little bit longer was a great decision, and now it’s healed, so it’s perfect,” Šeško insisted earlier this month.
Carrick’s latest update offered little clarity on the situation. Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: “He pulled up after the game the other day with a little bit of pain, so we’ll have to see how he is,” was all the Manchester United manager would offer.
In Šeško’s absence, Matheus Cunha kept his place through the middle. That decision left some fans frustrated, particularly with Amad Diallo unavailable on the right and Bryan Mbeumo regularly deployed there instead of being used as a central option.
Cunha brings link play and combines neatly with Bruno Fernandes, but he does not offer the same direct running that Mbeumo provides. Even so, Fulham’s tendency to leave space for opponents this season means United may still find openings without Šeško.
There is also anticipation around Carlos Baleba, who has still not made his Manchester United debut. Signed for $93.7 million (£70 million) and unveiled almost a month ago, he arrived from Brighton with an ankle injury. His first appearance could be confirmed at Craven Cottage.
