Maguire showed ‘lack of leadership’ as Man Utd duped by Sevilla’s fake niceties
Harry Maguire showed a “lack of leadership” in Manchester United’s defeat to Sevilla on Thursday, as he failed to do anything about the La Liga side’s fake niceties.
United gave up a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final at Old Trafford, with two late own goals from Tyrell Malacia and Harry Maguire costing Erik ten Hag’s side.
Perhaps more of a concern than the result is the injury to Lisandro Martinez, with Ten Hag admitting after the game that it “doesn’t look great”.
And Peter Schmeichel claims United made an error after Martinez went down, watching on as the Sevilla players helped the defender from the pitch rather than stopping them and waiting for the physio.
Having made all five of their substitutions, United then had to play the final few minutes with ten men, before conceding in stoppage time to give up the lead.
Schmeichel said: “Martinez gets injured and he is clearly in pain. It looks like the Sevilla players are nice carrying him off the pitch. No, they wanted him out so they could get going.
“By carrying him off, it didn’t stop their momentum, Man United used their five subs so they knew he wouldn’t come back.
“It didn’t give the manager or the players the opportunity to have a conversation. Man United players should have stopped that, leave him on the pitch, let them [the physios] come on and carry him out and in that period, you regroup.
“This is something the players need to do, that’s a lack of leadership on the pitch. Harry Maguire should have managed that situation. When the manager sees that his player is carried off by two opposition players, he should have stopped that.”
Schmeichel picked out some of United’s impressive performers, not least two-goal midfielder Marcel Sabitzer, but claims it was a fair result in the end.
“It’s a fair enough result, the way that it developed in the second half,” Schmeichel said. “The players of Manchester United have missed a very good opportunity here.
“A few players today need to have a look at themselves and think about whether they are contributing to the team enough. There are a few players who should be embarrassed with their performances.”
Schmeichel continued: “De Gea played well, he made two fantastic saves, couldn’t do anything about the goals. He kept Man United in the lead to no avail. Casemiro came back and played really well as well.
“The best player is the guy who scored two goals, Marcel Sabitzer was really good. His team-mates have let him down. he showed the way and they didn’t catch on to it.”
“It’s 2-2 and as a Man United supporter, I’m really disappointed. This could and should have been a 5-0 win.”
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