Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer feels defender Harry Maguire could be Manchester United’s captain for many years after he wore the armband on Saturday. In the absence of regular skipper Ashley Young, the England centre-half was given the nod to lead out the Red Devils on Sunday and duly put on a commanding display as the hosts beat Brighton 3-1.
It was United’s second victory in seven matches and sees them sitting in seventh spot in the Premier League standings – 18 points behind table-topping Liverpool.
They are also nine points adrift of fourth-placed Manchester City and it might be that a Europa League berth is the limit of their ambitions once again this term, even with such a long way to go.
There is no doubt their Norwegian tactician is trying to build for the future at the Theatre of Dreams, with young recruits now the order of the day, and Maguire was one of the fresh faces brought in over the summer.
While veteran Young will be restored as captain when he returns to the starting line-up, the boss has no doubts former Leicester City stopper Maguire is a leader of the future. “Harry has come in and been excellent in the dressing room and on the pitch,” Solskjaer told reporters. “He can be a long-term captain.”
Capped 24 times by the Three Lions, Maguire may have been given the nod to skipper his country as well but for the presence of Tottenham talisman Harry Kane in the side.
Born just four months apart, the pair’s careers are following a similar path but Kane has more international experience and has rightly been handed the captaincy by England boss Gareth Southgate.
It remains to be seen if Maguire does eventually land the England job and any exposure to the role with United will certainly aid his cause.
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