Erik ten Hag urged Harry Maguire to replicate his England form with Manchester United to fight his way back into the Red Devils line-up.
Maguire made just three Premier League starts for United this season before going to the World Cup with England and appearing in all five games in their run to the quarter-finals.
Gareth Southgate has repeatedly backed the centre-back on the international stage, though Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez have become Ten Hag's preferred partnership at United this term.
After England's elimination to France on Saturday, Ten Hag hopes Maguire can return to Old Trafford with confidence from his impressive showings in Qatar.
"I can only back him. I've been asked many times if he is good enough [to play for me] and it is clear he is good enough to play at the highest level," the United manager told reporters.
"And then it is up to him to show that confidence on the pitch and he didn't show that in all the games [for United].
"When he is playing with his confidence like now, he is a massively important player for us and that is what everyone expects. That's what Harry expects from himself.
"He has that high standard, he wants to play at the highest level, he wants to lead the defensive line, so it is up to him. I'm sure he has the potential to play in our style and fit into our system.
"He has, for England, almost all the time good games. He had a period in Manchester where he performed badly and then, of course, there are difficulties but when he is confident in himself, he will put that on the pitch.
"When he is working hard you will get that confidence and you are seeing that with the way he is playing for England.
"We want him to bring that back to Manchester with him so he can bring it on the pitch for Manchester United. I expect from him, the team knows what they expect from him. If he does that he will be a great player for us."
A hamstring injury ruled Maguire out for parts of United's Premier League campaign, though even when fit Ten Hag has still utilised Martinez, Varane and Victor Lindelof over the 29-year-old.
Ten Hag assured he has no issues with Maguire and insists positive performances will lead to a return to his starting XI.
"When I choose Rapha [Varane] it is nothing against Harry," he continued. "Sometimes it is because one player is a lot better than the other.
"But I think I have two or three good players there in the right centre-back position.
"After Brentford, I had a feeling I had to change. He was unlucky that moment was bad for him but it doesn't say anything about his quality that he can't do it or my opinion about his quality.
"Rapha came in and is doing a good job. There are laws of the game in top football – you have to take your chance. Your chance will always come.
"The only thing he has to do is train well, perform well, he has games, he has rhythm and his chance will come. He will have a chance to show it and then he's in and he will play."
As for Maguire's future, Ten Hag added: "Only when he doesn't want to be in these circumstances any more. Until that moment, I am happy with him.
"I have said it to him and you, I can do nothing more. It is up to him to contribute to play himself into the team.
"We have 16 to 18 players in the squad and that is what you need at the top level if you want to play for trophies. All the number of games we have to cover and then it is about the players who construct the best team, and that team we will pick. It is nothing to do with being personal."
Real Madrid hit Twente for seven, five-star Wolfsburg also win big
Real Madrid had six different goalscorers as they trounced Twente 7-0 in the Women's Champions League on Wednesday, while Wolfsburg beat Galatasaray 5-0.
Signe Bruun opened the scoring three minutes into the Group B encounter at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano, then Maria Mendez's header gave Madrid a 2-0 half-time lead.
Madrid, who had won one and lost one of their opening two games in the tournament, got a third through Naomie Feller five minutes into the second half, then Caroline Weir made it 4-0 with a brilliant free-kick.
Mendez headed home her second of the encounter shortly after the hour mark, while Oihane Hernandez and Carla Camacho got on the scoresheet late on to complete the rout.
The victory took Madrid second in the Group B standings ahead of Chelsea's trip to Celtic.
Wolfsburg were also convincing victors in Group A, getting off the mark for this season's competition as Rebecka Blomqvist scored a hat-trick in their 5-0 thrashing of Galatasaray.
The Bundesliga side – who failed to pick up a point or score a goal in their opening two matches – had a narrow 1-0 lead at half-time through Joelle Wedemeyer, before Blomqvist took centre-stage in the second period.
She tapped home after Janina Minge struck the crossbar, then added her second goal in the 77th minute and her third six minutes into stoppage time.
Vivien Endemann powered home a fifth for Wolfsburg one minute later, as they provisionally moved within three points of Lyon and Roma ahead of their meeting.
Amorim will 'change the energy' at Man Utd, says Fernandes
Ruben Amorim has been backed to "change the energy" at Manchester United by club captain Bruno Fernandes.
Amorim officially took the reins as United head coach on Monday, with Ruud van Nistelrooy having served as interim boss after Erik ten Hag was sacked last month.
The 39-year-old enjoyed a wildly successful four-year spell in charge of Sporting CP, which began in March 2020, two months after the Lisbon giants sold Fernandes to United.
Amorim delivered two Primeira Liga and two Taca da Liga trophies during his time at the Estadio Jose Alvalade, recording a 71% win rate through 231 matches at the helm (164 wins, 34 draws, 33 losses).
In the Primeira Liga, they won 77% of their games under him (120/156), the best win ratio of any team across Europe's top 10 leagues since he took charge.
Amorim's first game in charge of United will be a Premier League trip to Ipswich Town on November 24, and Fernandes has faith that he can change their fortunes.
"I hope he does the same here because you know sometimes a person can change the energy of a space, if it's the right moment," Fernandes told United's media channels.
"We hope this is the right moment for him to come and bring his energy, bring his qualities and his knowledge of football, because he's done something really, really special at Sporting.
"If someone doubts that, it's about just looking at the past. Sporting was to be about 20 years without winning the league, and he got back to win the league, and he won it two times in four years with a really youthful team, in a moment of change.
"So hopefully he can do the same here for us and [hopefully] it's going to be a successful time for all of us."
Amorim will become the youngest coach to lead United since a 33-year-old Wilf McGuinness took charge of them on Boxing Day 1970 against Derby County, and Fernandes believes one of his main strengths is his man-management style.
"Obviously for me, what stands out as I said to you is the connection he has with the players," Fernandes added.
"I've seen many, many moments where players were struggling and he kept his faith in them. He always goes to the press conference and defends his players.
"He had a really youthful team so they needed that and hopefully when he comes here he can do the same again with the youth.
"Us players with the most experience, we have to help him to get that and get the best out of every player at this club."
Malacia makes Man Utd comeback after 17 months out
Tyrell Malacia made his injury comeback after a 17-month spell on the sidelines, returning for Manchester United Under-21s against Huddersfield in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday.
The Netherlands international has not played since coming off the bench for his country against Croatia in the Nations League semi-final in June 2023.
Since that game, Malacia has had knee surgery twice in an attempt to solve an injury that had proved difficult to manage.
The 25-year-old made 39 appearances in all competitions for United after signing in the 2022-23 season, but has not featured for the first team since.
He played for 45 minutes in Huddersfield and was taken off at half-time, although it was a quiet night for him and he rarely got on the ball.
Malacia's return to competitive action coincided with the day that new head coach Ruben Amorim met some of United's senior players at the training ground.
Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, Leny Yoro, Kobbie Mainoo and Toby Collyer were all among the players he saw while doing their individual injury rehab.
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