Harry Maguire hails Manchester United’s togetherness after draw at Leeds
United have come under increasing pressure following their poor start to the season, but battled for a valuable point at Elland Road.
Harry Maguire declared “you can’t question the togetherness” after Manchester United won a hard-earned point in Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Roses rivals Leeds.
Bryan Mbeumo helped lift some of the gloom over Old Trafford by firing United into an interval lead before Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s early second-half equaliser secured Leeds a deserved share of the spoils.
United have come under increasing pressure following their poor start to the season and appeared to be in turmoil when defender Lisandro Martinez criticised the club’s hierarchy in midweek after their Champions League defeat to Atletico Madrid.
But under-fire boss Michael Carrick said Sunday’s battling performance at Elland Road marked a “fresh start” for his under-performing side and man-of-the-match Maguire agreed.
“You can’t question the togetherness, the spirit and the fight,” he told the club’s official website. “This is a tough place to come. Leeds have been flying in the league.
“We can be better. We have to show more quality with the ball.
“When you come to places like this, you can’t be beaten on set-plays and we conceded a set-play which got them back in the game.
“Throughout, we felt comfortable in our shape. They didn’t create too many chances. To concede a set-piece after half-time is disappointing. We had to dig in.
“We got a foothold at about 70 minutes and probably looked the more likely to go and win it, but a draw is probably fair.”
United’s winless Premier League run was extended to five matches – their only win was against newly-promoted Ipswich in August – while they have won just two of their 10 games in all competitions.
Not since the end of the 2018-19 season have United gone six games in all competitions without a win and it is 40 years since they won only one of their first seven top-flight games at the start of a season.
Sunday’s point left Carrick’s side 13th in the table, on seven points from as many matches, and Maguire suggested confidence has been affected after a string of lacklustre displays.
“We could have been a bit braver with the ball and taken the ball under pressure,” he added.
“But we’re in a circumstance where we are not as brave as we should be and we have to get that back because to win games for Manchester United we have to have that bravery and composure.”
Carrick’s side travel to Italy to face Cesc Fabregas’ Como on Wednesday in their third Champions League game of the season and return to Premier League action next Sunday against Bournemouth at Old Trafford.