Erik ten Hag praises mentality of Man Utd defender

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has praised the mentality of Harry Maguire amid his excellent turnaround this season.

The England international lost his starting spot last season following the club's purchase of Lisandro Martinez from Ajax.

There was much talk about him leaving the club over the summer, but the 30-year-old eventually made the decision to stay put.

Maguire started the 2023/24 campaign as a regular on the bench, but he has become an undisputed starter over the past month for United.

As a result, he has earned plenty of praise from the fans and Ten Hag has described him as a very important figure in the squad.

He told MUTV: "Absolutely. Very important. And he fought back and he showed great mentality. He can be proud of himself. But as I say: we are in a season, we are in the right direction."

Maguire made six clearances and won six duels yesterday. He also made three key blocks, but it was not sufficient to pick up a victory over Newcastle United away from home.