Harry Maguire says Manchester United still need more bravery

“We're in a circumstance where we are not as brave as we should be,” Harry Maguire said after Manchester United drew 1-1 with Leeds at Elland Road in Leeds vs Manchester United. He also said the side could have done more with the ball, even after Bryan Mbeumo put United ahead in the 35th minute.

Maguire's critique

Maguire's point was straightforward. United had worked on matching Leeds without the ball and pressing more aggressively, but he felt the team still lacked the bravery and composure needed when the ball was under pressure.

That is why the draw felt like more than a decent away point. Manchester United entered the game after a five-game winless run in all competitions, and this result stretched that sequence to six. They now have seven points from seven league games and sit 13th.

The shape change and Leeds' response

Michael Carrick's tweak did give United a more solid base without the ball. United lined up without a recognised centre-forward, and the plan seemed built around crowding the middle and making Leeds play through traffic.

Leeds handled enough of that to get back into the match. Dominic Calvert-Lewin equalised in the 51st minute, and he later said they were unlucky not to win after adjusting to United's shape.

United's issue is not hard to spot from this one game. The structure improved, but the final step still went missing. Maguire's criticism was aimed at the part of the performance that turns control into wins, and his words fit the scoreline at Elland Road. United kept more order, but they left with the same problem they arrived with, and the next league match has to show more than another draw.