‘Great football brain’ – Maguire not surprised by Carrick’s success
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In a statement, the FA concluded that Maguire “behaved inappropriately and/or used abusive and derogatory words and actions towards the fourth official”.
The charges stem from an incident when Donahue left the field during a game on March 20, and a fourth Donahue official detailed in a written statement why McGuire approached him and yelled, “You’re all kidding. You all are fucked.”
But Maguire disputes that explanation. In his written submission, he maintained that his comments were not directed at any official personally.
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Maguire has made a huge contribution to Manchester United’s growth this year.
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“After I got sent off, as I was leaving the field, I said something like, ‘That’s a joke,'” he explained. “I am confident that I have not called the fourth official or the match official a joke or insulted them in any other way.”
The case hinged on spur-of-the-moment interpretation, with the FA finding Maguire’s actions crossed the line into inappropriate conduct, with additional penalties including a £30,000 fine.
Michael Carrick faces the first real test of his tenure as interim head coach, and the surprise comeback against Leeds also highlights a potential defensive crisis that has not been exacerbated by Maguire’s continued absence.
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Lisandro Martinez also absent from Chelsea trip
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It means Carrick may have to call up academy graduate Aiden Haven, along with Lenny Yolo, for the trip to west London. Matthijs de Ligt has been sidelined since November with a back injury.
Casemiro has previously played as a centre-back under Erik ten Hag, but Carrick is unlikely to limit his midfield options further by moving the Brazilian back into defence, given the uncertainty of the involvement of Koby Mainu, who missed the Leeds defeat.
Since returning from a hamstring injury, Maguire has played a key role in United’s resurgence under Carrick.
Since starting in the derby against Manchester City on 11 January, he has become a regular in the Premier League, winning seven and drawing two of his 10 matches until his absence against Leeds.
