Man U Captain tasks Ighalo others over missed chances

 

Manchester United Captain Harry Maguire says the team needs to convert more chances if top-four finish is to be realised.

The former Leicester city ace who joined the Red Devils last year, insists that the team wasted a lot of chances and got punished by opponents in the process thus missing opportunity to zoom into the top four before the coronavirus lockdown.

Maguire, who joined last summer in an £80million deal, has seen his side miss multiple chances to break into the top four before the season was suspended.

‘As a Red, our toughest opponent, probably, is ourselves,’ Maguire said during a Q&A for MUTV.

‘I would say that, at times this year, as a team, we have probably let ourselves down by being a bit too inconsistent. Not just for a full game but during games.’

United kicked off the campaign with a 4-0 win over Chelsea back in August but have won only eight of 15 league matches at Old Trafford, dropping points against the likes of Crystal Palace, Burnley, Aston Villa and Wolves on their own patch. They also lost at Bournemouth, Newcastle, West Ham and Watford this term.

‘There have been times when we’ve been so good in games and then we’ve come off it a bit and been punished.

‘We need to be mentally strong. We are a young group but we don’t really want to use that as an excuse.

‘We want to be young but play mature. That is where we have really picked up in recent weeks.’

The England international doesn’t want to have any regrets about moving to Old Trafford.

‘I have joined this club because I want to win trophies and I want to get silverware,’ Maguire added.

‘When I look back on my time at Manchester United, I want to make sure I have some trophies in that cabinet.’

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side sit in fifth place with nine games to go three points off fourth-placed Chelsea.

Nigeria international Odion Ighalo who joined the Reds on loan from Chinese Super League side Shanghai Greenland Shenhua early this year, has contributed four goals in the team’s effort so far.

Read AlsoMan Utd plan to extend Ighalo’s loan deal as Solskjaer weighs up £15m transfer

The former Watford ace whose loan deal expires at the end of May is already being wooed back to China with a £400,000 a week offer.  Shanghai Shenhua have however told Man United to table £15 million if they wish to have the Nigerian for keeps.