An interesting statistic has helped defend two Manchester United players, with one, in particular, coming under immense criticism in recent years.
Due to his hefty price tag, Harry Maguire’s performances have been highlighted by fans and the media. A lot of United fans have been calling for him to be replaced, but a statistic tweeted by Samuel Luckhurst below shows Maguire may not be the problem.
Win vs Tottenham maintained #mufc's record of not losing when Varane and Maguire have started and ended a match. Only time they lost with both starting was vs Villa when Maguire came off injured at 0-0. Both were on the pitch in defeat at Young Boys but Varane came on at HT.
— Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) March 14, 2022
Despite the criticism of Maguire, Manchester United are yet to lose a game when both he and Raphael Varane start and end the game. A key to a good defence is a solid defensive partnership and it isn’t healthy for a team to have inconsistency in terms of team selection.
Although a competent defender should be able to adapt to play with anyone, having a partner who you can learn from, develop with, and get the best out of is what can take a team to the next level.
If United want to become more consistent in the league, then keeping Maguire and Varane fit is the first step. Rather than spending money on yet another centre-back, clearly Maguire and Varane works well as a partnership, when both fit.