"He’s petrified of that space in behind" - Michael Owen names Manchester United star whose lack of pace is a 'real problem'
Former Manchester United player Michael Owen recently criticized United captain Harry Maguire's performance against Southampton.
Maguire was bullied by Southampton's number 18 Armando Broja in the game who completely exposed the England international's lack of pace. Speaking to Premier League Productions, Owen pointed out that Maguire is petrified of the space behind him.
Harry Maguire has been under huge pressure lately with United fans being very critical of his latest performances for the Red Devils.
The England international had impressed against West Ham United a few games ago and many fans had hoped then that he would carry that momentum through the rest of the season. However, his displays against Burnley and Southampton have been subpar and have irked the fans once again.
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Inconsistency has been the story so far for the England international this season. Maguire's lack of pace has been a recurring issue and the recent tie against the Saints really exposed this weakness starkly.
Former Manchester United star Michael Owen has revealed that he feared Maguire's lack of pace would catch up with him against Southampton and that was exactly what happened at Old Trafford. Southampton striker Broja completely outpaced Maguire in one-on-ones.
"I did fear for him and that was quite embarrassing. He’s got no pace at the best of times but he was outwitted there (by Broja). But you are fearful when he’s running towards him man you think are you going to try to do something stupid but he just gets away with it. His lack of pace is a real problem. We’ve said it before, we’ll say it again. The goal, he could have been squeezing up but he’s petrified of that space in behind." said Michael Owen.
Can Manchester United finish in a top-4 spot after their draw against Southampton?
It was frustrating for the United faithful to see their team squander multiple chances to win a game that they should have won. Manchester United only ended up getting a 1-1 draw against the Saints even after having eight shots on target. Some of the chances that the Red Devils failed to convert against the Saints could have ended up in the back of the net on any other day.
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With two consecutive draws in two games, United have lost four crucial points. As a result, Manchester United are currently 5th in the points table with 40 points. However, these positions could change in the coming weeks as Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, who are in the 6th and 7th spot in the points table, have played fewer games than United.
If the Red Devils want to keep their top-4 hopes alive, they will need to regain their confidence as soon as possible and begin winning games. Otherwise, Manchester United could fail to end up securing even a Europa League spot by the end of the season.