Harry Maguire feels vindicated in his decision to stay and fight for his spot at Manchester United, having forced his way back into Erik ten Hag’s team.
The 30-year-old’s future seemed set to lie away from Old Trafford after the blow of losing his starting place was compounded by being stripped of the captaincy over the summer, but a potential move to West Ham – or elsewhere – did not materialise.
And Maguire’s self-belief never wavered, with the under-fire defender repeatedly underlining his confidence about winning back his place at United.
That sounded far-fetched to many, but is precisely what he has managed, with the England international starting their last eight matches in all competitions.
Asked it feels like personal vindication for staying at United, Maguire said: “Of course.
“I played a few games last year, 16 or 17 starts, and I felt like I performed really well in the games I played in. I just didn’t play as many as I would have liked.
“On the other hand, Rapha (Varane) and Licha (Lisandro Martinez) were playing brilliantly and kept numerous clean sheets. I had to bide my time and be patient.
“I had two or three opportunities last season to get a run of games but I broke down with illness, I broke down with injuries twice, so I never got the rhythm and never got the run of games that I could prove myself to the manager.
“I have got that now, I am really enjoying my football and I really enjoy playing for this club.
“I was willing to stay and fight for my place and we have four, five top international centre-backs at this club and the competition for places is really high.”
View this post on InstagramMaguire has capitalised on injuries over the past six weeks and showed an impressive mentality, which is perhaps unsurprising for a player used to relentless mockery in recent years.
England boss Gareth Southgate said the treatment he faced was “ridiculous”, “a joke” and “beyond anything I’ve ever seen” after September’s win in Scotland came to a backdrop of Hampden Park abuse.
Maguire brushed it off as “banter” as he continued to block out criticism and abuse, saying his career to date has helped him retain a self-belief many would have seen dented.
“Working hard in training is the main thing and making sure you’re ready,” the United defender said. “But I started 16 or 17 games last year and felt like my form was there.
“There was a lot of talk about me because I wasn’t playing games, but that is the way it is.
“I was playing well for my country, went to the World Cup and played well and always thought my form was there.
“But I am up against some top, top-level centre-backs and last year they were playing amazing, so I didn’t get as many opportunities as I would have liked.
“This club demands competition for places and that is what we have in my position.”
Maguire’s focus now turns to England matters before United reunite and refocus on improvements after edging past Luton 1-0 on Saturday.
It was a fourth win in five Premier League matches but improvements in front of goal are needed.
Misfiring Marcus Rashford has scored just once this term, with Rasmus Hojlund, Alejandro Garnacho, Antony and Anthony Martial yet to open their Premier League accounts.
“That’s what everyone will be talking about,” Maguire said. “I see (the forwards) day in, day out in training and I play with internationals next week at England and the lads in training at United.
“The top players all have the ability to score goals. At the moment we are not scoring enough goals and we know that.
“But we aren’t keeping enough clean sheets as well – that’s how I look at it.
“I think in the past you’ve seen our attackers are top-quality players and can do it.
“Maybe a little bit of luck will turn and they’ll get the first one and the goals will follow. I am sure they will because they are all very good players.”
Hojlund’s struggles domestically are particularly surprising given nobody has scored more Champions League group-stage goals than the summer signing.
“Ras is a top player,” Maguire added. “I think you’ve seen his work ethic and what he brings to the team in recent weeks. He does a lot more than scoring goals.
“He scores goals in training, you’ve seen him score goals in the Champions League and I am sure it is a matter of time before he bangs a few in the Prem as well.”
Mikel Arteta drops hint on new Arsenal contract
Mikel Arteta hinted that he will sign a new contract to stay on as Arsenal manager, insisting "it will happen".
The Gunners boss sees his present deal expire in June 2025 and as yet there has been no official word on an extension.
Arteta, though, has been making plans for the upcoming season his main focus rather than his own future and remains confident his tenure as boss will continue.
Speaking to ESPN at a training camp in Marbella, Arteta said: "There is no update at the moment.
"The thing that hasn't changed is how happy I am and how valued I feel here and how much I love representing this club.
"Things happen in a natural way and our relationship is that good that I don't predict any issues happening. But things have to develop in the right way and it will happen."
When asked whether a new contract would provide stability at Arsenal, he replied: " "I understand that but the focus now is, 'okay, how we can improve things around the team? How we can improve now the things in the transfer window that we have?'
"We have time to sit down and discuss that."
The Gunners finished runners-up to Manchester City for the second campaign running last term, with Arsenal aiming to go one better in the Premier League this time around.
LA Galaxy 1-2 Los Angeles FC: Visitors earn bragging rights in El Trafico
Los Angeles FC held on to beat LA Galaxy 2-1 after a quickfire first-half double to go three points clear at the top of the Western Conference.
Kei Kamara and Denis Bouanga were on target to LAFC in command and, although Gabriel Pec halved the deficit in the second half, that proved enough to see of rivals Galaxy at the Rose Bowl.
The visitors dominated the shot count in the first 45 minutes, with Eduard Atuesta only able to strike the post after getting the better of John McCarthy.
LAFC finally got the breakthrough in the 39th minute as Kamara nodded in from the edge of the six-yard box.
Atuesta was then brought down in the penalty area less than a minute later, with a spot-kick being awarded after a lengthy VAR review, and Bouanga confidently converted it just before half-time.
Pec reacted quickest to poke Miki Yamine's cross past Hugo Lloris in the 56th minute, and Joseph Paintsil missed a glorious opportunity to equalise, skying his close-range effort over the post as the Galaxy dropped to third in the table.
Data Debrief: LAFC cannot stop scoring
LAFC have scored in their last 17 games in MLS. It's their longest run of games with a goal in the competition since a run of 18 between September 2021 and May 2022.
In fact, they have scored 20 first-half goals in 21 matches, with only Real Salt Lake (22) netting more.
Marsch aiming to create something special with Canada
Jesse Marsch believes Canada can build something special as they prepare for their Copa America quarter-final against Venezuela.
Canada are playing in their maiden Copa America and finished second in Group A behind defending champions Argentina after a win over Peru and a draw with Chile following their opening-day defeat to Albiceleste.
They now know that beating the Group B winners will set them up for a rematch against Argentina in the semi-finals if they win on Friday.
Marsch says he knew it was going to be tough when he took the job earlier this year, but has praised the “positive” support that has spurred the team forward.
"I was thinking, 'Why did I take this job with those three opponents [coming] up?'" Marsch said. "I knew when I took the job that the schedule was going to be very difficult, and by the way – put Peru and Chile in there as well – the first five opponents I knew were going to be very difficult.
"But I thought that it would give us a chance to create really high standards for how we wanted to play and that these games would show the players that we need to uphold ourselves to very high standards. I felt that if we could execute, then we could have some success.
"There's real excitement in Canada about the team and the way we've played. That comes with, I think, a real hunger to keep this thing moving forward."
"I'll tell you: I'm glad I'm here, man. Because the people that I work with and the players that I work with, the things that we know that we can achieve together, the support that we have from inside the country, the support system for this entire national team is so positive.
"So, I think it gives us a real chance to develop something and build something and be ready for a big tournament come 2026."
Canada have done better than their 2026 World Cup co-hosts USA, who crashed out in the group stage after winning just one match in Group C.
Asked about his home country's performance at the tournament, Marsch admitted he was disappointed by what he saw.
"I'd like to say that I'm only focused on what we're doing here in Canada, but obviously, I'm paying attention to the U.S. men's national team as I always do, and like you, I'm sad," he added.
"I'm disappointed with the performances, the lack of discipline. There are a lot of things that I think we've tried to embody about the game in the U.S., and we've always believed in this group of players."
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