Harry Maguire is showing the Manchester United mentality with what he is doing on and off the pitch

Harry Maguire only trained last Friday and he was not fully fit during Manchester United's two-hour epic against Coventry City on Wembley's infamously draining pitch.

Casemiro confirmed in the mixed zone Maguire had "played injured this game. Since the beginning, he was injured. He played injured in the last match".

This correspondent wrote five days before the tie Maguire was expected to be fit and it is just as well he was. Willy Kambwala became the latest fly to drop, leaving Maguire as the only fit United centre-back with first-team experience.

Louis Jackson, the 18-year centre half in a squad for the first time, warmed up rigorously during extra-time after Maguire flagged an issue with the medical staff. With penalties probable, Maguire had experience of converting in a Wembley shootout. His postage-stamp conversion past Gianluigi Donnarumma in 2021 is best-in-class for an England shootout.

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Unlike other fragile teammates, Maguire walked freely out of the dressing room. He was an inevitable starter against Sheffield United three days later and scored again with an expert header. Maguire's positioning was of a centre forward as he ensured he did not stray ahead of Auston Trusty.

This is the most important Maguire has been to United in three years. His strengths were more apparent when he was absent for their run-in for the 2020-21 campaign as they conceded nine goals in five games. United were undone by a Villarreal set-piece in the Europa League final.

Maguire was the standout centre back at Euro 2020 that summer and he is enjoying his best preparation for a major