Manchester United let slip their one-goal lead against Leeds United to eventually leave Elland Road with only a point to show for their efforts on Sunday.
Bryan Mbeumo handed the Red Devils a deserved lead in the first half, but Michael Carrick’s strange tactical calls allowed the hosts back into the game.
The head coach opted to remove his best player, Carlos Baleba, while he also did not make any attacking substitutions despite the need for a win.
After the game, Harry Maguire spoke to Sky Sports and admitted that the 20-time English league champions needed to be braver on the ball.
Harry Maguire felt United lacked bravery on the ball
“That’s probably the area of the game where we could’ve done more. We could’ve been a bit braver with the ball and taken the ball under pressure.
“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 Man Utd we have to have that bravery and composure.”
It has been a recurrent theme for the Old Trafford side, who have opted to sit back and defend a slender lead instead of going for the jugular.
However, the centre-back felt the team’s work ethic showed a marked improvement compared to the team’s recent displays.
Harry Maguire felt there were positives to take home
The former skipper admitted that Carrick made the group work hard, both with and without the ball, to silence the home crowd.
“We worked on it this week. We wanted to match them up without the ball and go quite aggressive. It was a bit of a five without the ball and a bit of a four with the ball.
Fluid in midfield. We knew we could get a lot of joy in the middle of the pitch with them only playing two in there.”
Despite the signs of a recovery, United have only seven points from as many games this Premier League season, which highlights what a disastrous start it has been for the three-time Champions League winners.
Carrick somehow needs a miracle to turn the team’s fortunes around, or else it is just a matter of time before he is shown the door by an equally incompetent INEOS.
Feature image Naomi Baker via Getty Images
