After Manchester United secured a crucial victory against Aston Villa, Gary Neville singled out Harry Maguire as the Man of the Match, although he acknowledged that three other players were also contenders for the award.
United’s late winner, courtesy of Scott McTominay, sealed three valuable points after Rasmus Højlund initially opened the scoring for Villa. Erik ten Hag’s side are now within touching distance of Villa in the Premier League standings, closing the gap to just five points.
Despite the win, United faced a stern defensive challenge, prompting former club captain Gary Neville to highlight Harry Maguire’s standout performance while commentating on the match. The England international demonstrated solidity in defense and contributed to Højlund’s goal with a well-executed header from a corner.
Maguire’s dominance in aerial duels, winning 11 out of 12, particularly caught Neville’s attention. “I think Harry Maguire won a lot of first contacts in that first half, caused a big problem for Villa and the ultimate one came when he got the header for the goal,” Neville remarked post-match.
Maguire also showcased his ability with crucial interceptions at both ends of the pitch, earning praise from Neville for his overall performance. Despite Villa presenting a tough challenge, Maguire’s contributions were instrumental in securing the victory for United.
Neville emphasized that the decision for Man of the Match was a close one, with three other United players also making significant impacts.
Neville identified Diogo Dalot, Raphael Varane, and André Onana as contenders for the award alongside Maguire. Dalot’s assist for the winning goal with a pinpoint cross highlighted his attacking prowess, while Varane and Onana impressed with their defensive contributions.
Despite the strong performances from all four players, Neville disclosed that Maguire’s statistical performance ultimately swayed the decision in his favor. “For me, it was [Diogo] Dalot,
[Raphael Varane], Maguire, and [Andre] Onana that were probably the ones that I would’ve gone for out of the United players,” Neville explained, “And I was just told that his [Maguire’s] stats were better, so there you go, for the people at home!”
