BBC pundit names Manchester United defender in Premier League team of the week

Just one Manchester United player made Garth Crooks’ team of the week for BBC Sport.

To be fair, it’s been a rare occurrence to have a single player feature in Crooks’ weekly column this season. United have underperformed for most of the campaign and we are only starting to show momentum now and it’s February.

There has been no shortage of setbacks with injuries taking hold of the squad on more than one occasion. We hear other clubs complain about it their injury situations, but no club in the top-flight has suffered like us throughout the 2023/24 campaign.

In turn, the Reds are currently on the best run of form this season after three straight Premier League wins including two on the road against Aston Villa and Wolves.

Crooks’ team of the week

Harry Maguire came into the team at the weekend following Lisandro Martinez’s latest injury.

To his credit, Maguire’s performance was fabulous. Time and time again this season he has performed when called upon and this display was yet another example of that.

“Whatever you may think about Maguire’s football ability, he doesn’t shirk his responsibilities or duck a challenge. His time at Old Trafford recently has been chequered to say the least,” Crooks wrote in his BBC Sport column.

“He has struggled to hold down a regular first-team place, has been the subject of transfer speculation, and to some extent regarded as surplus to requirements, but none of that has fazed him.

“When he’s been selected to play, and it’s normally when Manchester United have been struggling or facing an injury crisis, he has stepped up to the mark.

“His performance in the 2-1 win against Aston Villa was unwavering. It was his assist that created United’s first goal for Rasmus Hojlund to score from close range while he won every header in his vicinity. You can’t argue with that.”

Fans questioned who was going to stand in with Martinez out for at least two months. We know the answer and it’s Maguire.

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