Harry Maguire reflected on a big win for Manchester United against Brentford, whom they defeated 2-1 on Monday evening to reinforce their place in the top three of the Premier League.
The Red Devils started strongly at Old Trafford, taking an early lead through Casemiro. Their opponents rallied impressively, and the leading frontman ought to have levelled the scoreline, but a classic counterattack was smartly finished off by Benjamin Sesko to double the lead near the break.
Mathias Jensenrestored belief for the Bees late in the day, but the hosts held on to take all three points, moving three clear of Aston Villa onto a tally of 61. Champions League football is in sight.
‘The formation change has helped us a lot’
Maguire has made himself a mainstay for the first team under Carrick, and he was back in the starting eleven after a suspension for a last-ditch foul against Bournemouth in a 2-2 draw. The backline was tested for phases of both halves, but the defender was delighted to be on the cusp of qualification for Europe’s elite competition, and he praised the interim head coach for his management of the match.
“I think that obviously the results help that the feeling [of confidence about Michael Carrick] massively. We had two tough fixtures when Michael first came in, and I think everyone was probably looking at them thinking ‘oh no’, with Arsenal and Man City, and we managed to get the six points.
“Everyone’s believed in it, and we’ve gathered together. We’ve got the confidence. We know that we can score goals from anywhere. I think we can still get a lot better at this formation as well. I think we can work as a back force, slide across the pitch a lot quicker, like we should have done.
“The results speak for themselves, since the manager has come in, and the formation has changed, we just seemed to pick up results. I think that the games previous, when Ruben Amorim was here, the games were 50/50, but we always ended up on the back of a defeat.
“Now it seems like it’s the other way around, where we’re a lot better in both boxes. We defend our box a lot better, and we’re managing to be clinical in the other box.
“[Today] was tough, we started the game really well and after 25 minutes they got into the grip of the game, and then we changed the shape a little bit in the second half and it felt a lot more solid.
“The formation change has helped us a lot, to be honest. I think the results spoke for itself. So I think we’re comfortable that we can play both formations.
“But I think we didn’t cover the pitch well enough in the in the last 20 minutes of the first half, and was letting too many balls into the box, and then they were putting a lot of numbers in the box as well.
“I think it was good that the manager recognised that, and we changed the second half, and I felt like it was a lot more comfortable.
“We covered the pitch a lot more, a lot less crosses were coming into the box. Disappointing to concede the goal from the edge of the box. We’ve got to get out a little bit quicker than that to block the shot, block the ball. But it felt comfortable apart from the set-play chance off the bar.
“But the shape helped us in the second half not to concede as many chances, but overall I felt we should have done a little bit more with the ball.
Maguire on Casemiro’s impact
His aggression, his technique, it’s the best I’ve seen and worked with
“[From Casemiro] his time in this league, his aggression, his technique, it’s the best I’ve seen and worked with. Really clinical, and he’s been a massive boost for us this season, because without his goals, we wouldn’t be anywhere on the table.
“I’ve played in in a lot of teams where I get one, two players marking me, and all the focus is on myself. I think now all the teams are respecting that Casemiro is a massive threat as well. So they have to take a lot of eyes on him. They have to put a good defender on him, rather than putting two on myself at the moment.
“It frees us both up. Our record when we both play together, when I play, I think Casemiro gets more goals and when he plays I get more opportunities as well. It’s good that we have two big targets, two good threats in in the attacking box. And I think it makes a lot harder for the opposition.”