Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has opened up on the intensity of the rivalry with Manchester City, admitting that losing a derby at Old Trafford is “right up there” with suffering defeat against Liverpool.
The spotlight will be on Old Trafford on September 13, when Manchester United take on Manchester City in another highly anticipated Manchester Derby. Ahead of the Premier League clash, Maguire reflected on some of his most memorable experiences in the fixture, including his first derby victory and a dramatic comeback win.
Speaking in an interview shared by JioStar, Maguire recalled captaining Manchester United in his first Manchester Derby in 2019, when the Red Devils secured a victory away at the Etihad Stadium.
“Captaining and leading the boys out for my first Manchester derby in 2019 and getting the win away from home is a special feeling because we knew what it meant for the fans. At that moment and at that time, I think Man City were probably the team to beat, so to go there and do it over your rivals was a big win,” Maguire said.
Harry Maguire on losing Manchester Derby
Maguire also spoke about the pain of losing against Manchester City, particularly when the defeat comes at Old Trafford in front of Manchester United supporters.
“It’s right up there with losing against Liverpool, both big rivalries. It’s disappointing to lose any game of football, but when you lose at home, especially at Old Trafford in front of your fans to your rivals, it hurts for a while,” he said. “You just want the next game to come and get the win and get back on track.”
Maguire recalls Amad Diallo’s late winner
One of Maguire’s memorable Manchester Derby moments came in the 2024 edition, when Manchester United came from behind before Amad Diallo scored a late winner. “To be 1-0 down and then to turn it around, and have Amad score that late winner, it was a great feeling for us during the game but also after the game as well with our fans,” Maguire said. “That’s football, I think that’s why it’s so exciting that you can score or turn a game on its head in moments. There’s no better way than winning in the last minute.”
Harry Maguire on playing through the pain
Maguire also recalled playing the full game in Michael Carrick’s first game despite the medical team’s recommendation that he play no more than 60 minutes. “I had been out injured for quite a while, and as the game approached, there was a lot of debate about whether I should start or not. The medical team recommended that I play a maximum of 60 minutes,” he said.
“But once I got on the pitch, I didn’t want to come off. As the game went on, I ended up playing the full match. The adrenaline and the desire to help the team took over. I just couldn’t see myself walking off when the team needed me out there.”
Maguire sends warning ahead of Manchester Derby
With Manchester City having dominated English football in recent years, Maguire believes Manchester United have enough quality and depth to compete with their rivals. “We know they’re a top team and have dominated English football over the last nine years now. But we know that we’ve got a great squad, great depth, that we can compete with anybody,” Maguire said.
The Manchester Derby between Manchester United and Manchester City will be played at Old Trafford on Sunday, September 13, with the match scheduled to begin at 9 PM. The game will be available LIVE on JioHotstar and Star Sports.
