One thing Harry Maguire has never done is give up on himself, even when others looked to have made their mind up on him.
How easy it would have been for the 31-year-old to have had a crisis of confidence. Booed by his own fans; mocked routinely; witnessing two new centre-backs sign to go ahead of him this summer; missing out on Euro 2024 and out of the England squad altogether this week; ruthlessly stripped of the captain’s armband after years as United’s de-facto leader; constantly finding himself linked with a transfer out the door.
Instead he’s shown exactly what it takes to survive at one of the world’s biggest clubs – and has provided a moment that may well ensure the survival of his manager, too.
‘Thanks for the gift,’ Maguire posted on his Instagram story by way of a message to assist-maker Christian Eriksen. His manager may well need to pen a thank you of his own after this late, late show through the fog in Porto.
When all hope appeared lost and Manchester United inexplicably found themselves heading for another embarrassing defeat in Europe from 2-0 up, up stepped the player stripped of the captaincy and dropped down the pecking order to potentially save Erik ten Hag’s job.
Harry Maguire may well have ensured the survival of Erik ten Hag with his late equaliser
Whether this is a Mark Robins-esque moment for Ten Hag by Maguire remains to be seen. For now it’s too soon to say. Late salvation here has barely alleviated the pressure just days out from another gruelling away trip, this time to Aston Villa on Sunday, when the pressure dial is cranked right back up.
But there was something symbolic here in Maguire being sent on from the bench to complete a rescue act after Bruno Fernandes, the man who replaced him as captain a year ago, was sent off for the second time in five days.
When Maguire was seen stripped off on the sideline and preparing to come on he was deep in conversation with Ten Hag, who animatedly pointed to key areas of the pitch where United had struggled.
Matthjis de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez, the first choice centre back pairing for Ten Hag which has relegated Maguire to the bench, had nightmarish evenings. Ten Hag had no excuse but to swallow his pride and hook both.
And while the first port of call will have been the message to bring a sense of calm to a discombobulated back-line, Maguire’s aerial presence always presents an opportunity from set pieces – and so it proved.
Online and in the stadium there were snorts of derision from pockets of those following United. Chasing a game and Ten Hag was turning to Maguire, that’ll do it.
Forty-five seconds into added time there was Maguire, fashioning space in the area to rise highest to meet Christian Eriksen’s corner. Clean contact and in. It was a powerful message in more ways than one on a day when Maguire also found himself snubbed once more by England. Are you watching Lee Carsley?
Maguire came off the bench to rescue a draw for his side at the Estadio do Dragao
Sources indicated to Mail Sport that Maguire, who was in a fitness race to even make the squad to face Porto, made a request to Ten Hag and his coaches to be included on the bench at the very least due to the magnitude of the game.
The size of the game, with the pressure fever-pitch once more on his manager, meant Maguire was eager to put his body on the line in case he was required.
Sources routinely speak to the professionalism of Maguire, never one to sulk, kick up a fuss, or make things difficult. Instead he has often shown a willingness to play through the pain barrier for a manager who, at times, looked to have written the Englishman off after he had a miserable first season under Ten Hag.
While the armband is now in the possession of Fernandes, Maguire remains a key dressing room leader for Ten Hag and United and even with his match-saving contribution here he remained key in the dressing room inquest that followed.
As a gaggle of FC Porto players waited patiently outside the locked door to swap shirts, Maguire was among those sharing home truths that, again, the standard wasn’t up to par.
‘The manager spoke, some members of staff spoke and the players spoke,’ Maguire told TNT.
The English defender headed home from a corner in the first minute of injury time
‘When you get 2-0 away from home you have to be a little bit more solid and there were far too many gaps. Too many crosses were coming into the box for sure and they ultimately punished us for it.
‘It’s happening far too many times [conceding in quick succession]. Every time you concede you have to reset and go back to the game plan which got us in the lead. It’s something we need to improve. If we want to be successful this season we can’t keep conceding two goals.’
Five years on from his £80million switch from Leicester City, Maguire has found a way to embrace the pressure at United, rather than shrink under it.
‘I’ve played for this club for six years, I know how it works,’ he added. ‘When you go on a bad spell players come under pressure and also the manager does. He’s experienced enough and been at this club long enough so I’m sure he knows how to deal with it. It’s part of the privilege you have playing for this club.’
As Maguire strode towards the away end at the end he clenched his fist and threw his arm up towards United’s fans in the upper tier in celebration. While he fell back into one game at a time mode in the media compound, out on the pitch he knew just how significant a moment this was personally and collectively.
Even as team-mates waited to head back to the team hotel, it was Maguire and Jonny Evans who were back out on the pitch putting in extra running to reach their targets before calling it a night. Younger players could learn a thing or two about attitude and application.
Maguire now has to play against Aston Villa on Sunday, such was his contribution in salvaging this one. As United’s best-performing centre-back in this moment he should be the first name on the teamsheet when it comes to selecting a defence to take on Unai Emery’s in-form side.
Ineos chief and United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe is due to be in town to watch United – and Ten Hag – at Villa Park in what many are seeing as D-Day for the boss. If Ten Hag is to find himself in the trenches it is players like Maguire he knows will pull through for him when it matters most.
‘Keep the belief,’ Maguire posted on Instagram overnight with a picture of his headed goal. Now it’s time for his manager to do the same by sticking by him.