Harry Maguire is ‘proof’ that Raphael Varane can turn his Manchester United career around, with the Frenchman ‘accepting’ the fact he’s been dropped for tactical reasons.
The World Cup winner has started on the bench in the last five games, with Ten Hag preferring Jonny Evans alongside Maguire at the centre of defence.
While Varane is understood to have been left frustrated at being benched for the Manchester derby defeat to City, the Athletic report that the Frenchman has now ‘accepted’ being out of the side.
One of the reasons pointed out for that is that dropping out of favour is not the end of the road under Erik ten Hag.
Maguire was being pushed towards a £30million summer move to West Ham and after he turned that down he has successfully managed to become the first choice centre back against the odds.
Ten Hag was quizzed on a potential issue brewing with Varane at his press conference last Friday and he dismissed it out of hand.
The 30-year-old centre back is understood to have spoken to Ten Hag after the United manager said publicly that he had been dropped for the Manchester derby for ‘tactical’ reasons — even though the player is thought to have had an ongoing fitness issue and missed the Carabao Cup defeat by Newcastle three days later.
‘Absolutely not,’ Ten Hag said when asked if the pair had an issue.
‘As I said, it is about tactical reasons why I chose these partnerships. I think Harry and Jonny did well.
‘Harry didn’t play a lot last year, so I was very happy with Rapha’s performances. I have always been happy with his performance.
‘But in this moment, Harry is playing very well and there is internal competition. I always said Harry Maguire can do the job — and now he is showing he can do the job.’
Ten Hag prefers his central defenders to play on the side of their stronger foot.
But with Evans joining left-footers Lisandro Martinez and Luke Shaw on the injury list, Varane looked set to get the nod ahead of Lindelof to start alongside Maguire for the third time this season against Luton.
In the end the Swede started and scored the only goal of the game against Luton in what was his fourth goal for United.
Credit: dailymail.co.uk
