Harry Maguire says one thing was ‘nowhere near good enough’ under Ruben Amorim

Manchester United fans may think that there were many things ‘nowhere near good enough’ under Ruben Amorim, but Harry Maguire has identified one facet of the game that fits that description.

Amorim had tortuous spell in charge of the Red Devils from November 2024-January 2026, rarely showing anything that suggested Manchester United could return to former glories.

The Portuguese manager left the club having claimed victory in just 24 of the 63 matches he took charge of, a win percentage of just 38.10.

Michael Carrick is now at the helm, taking charge until the end of the season, and has made the previous regime look a bit daft by winning his first four matches.

Manchester City, Arsenal, Fulham and Tottenham have all been beaten, with United scoring 10 goals in the process.

The Red Devils do look much better going forward, but Maguire feels there has been a huge improvement in defence as well.

The England international reckons United were ‘nowhere near good enough’ at defending their own penalty area previously, but that has quickly changed.

Maguire also feels Carrick has quickly allowed his team to be more tactically flexible and more confident in and out of possession, something Amorim was regularly criticised for.

‘I think we’ve got to be comfortable to be dominant with the ball but also without the ball and also be a threat,’ Maguire told former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves for TNT Sports. ‘We also know we’re going to be a threat on the counter-attack with our players.

‘Taking the lead against Manchester City and then we were happy to soak up a little bit of pressure and be comfortable defending our box.

‘I think that’s the main thing that’s improved over the last three games. We’ve defended our box a lot better with a lot more urgency.

‘Previously we defended our box nowhere near good enough, every time the ball went in the box they had a chance.

‘But the last three games, loads more urgency. Not just from the defenders, from the midfielders, the wide men getting back in, the strikers protecting the edge of the box, I think it’s so important we do it as a team.’

He added: ‘We’ve got to make sure we get the spaces right all over the pitch. We’ve got to make sure we’re compact, in a mid block, a low block or we go after teams.

‘I’m sure under Sir Alex [Ferguson] you went after some teams and you were happy in the mid block and happy defending low. I think Michael will bring that.

‘I think there’ll be times going man-for-man all over the pitch and be really aggressive.

‘There’ll also be times we’ll be happy and content keeping the spaces short and punishing teams on the counter-attack. I think it’s important to be tactically flexible.’

Manchester United are looking to make it five wins on the spin when they travel to take on West Ham in the Premier League on Tuesday night.

Victory for Carrick’s men would see them climb to third, at least until Aston Villa play Brighton on Wednesday night.