Man Utd defender Maguire Insists They Are Keen To Banish Last Season’s Woes

Maguire confident Man Utd will erase last season’s struggles with new signings and renewed energy

After a challenging campaign that left Manchester United far below expectations, Harry Maguire is confident the Red Devils are ready to turn the page and push for success in the coming season, which starts on Friday night.

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The England defender has opened up about the tough lessons learned under Ruben Amorim’s first year in charge and the fresh energy fueling their new approach. When Amorim took over midway through last season, the Portuguese manager inherited a squad struggling to adapt to his preferred 3-4-3 system.

The transition proved difficult, as inconsistent form and off-field distractions – including Marcus Rashford’s loan request and tensions involving young star Alejandro Garnacho – unsettled the dressing room. Ultimately, United finished a disappointing 15th in the league and missed out on European football following their Europa League final defeat to Spurs.

Yet with a full pre-season under Amorim’s belt and key signings like Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, and Benjamin Sesko arriving, there is renewed optimism within the camp.

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Speaking candidly on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, Maguire described the fresh start the squad is embracing: “I feel like it’s almost a little bit of a fresh start, and hopefully this start is a good start. We want to find it. We want to be challenging at the top.”

Maguire highlighted how the team’s physicality has become a focus in training, something that was noticeably lacking last season. “When he first took over, I think the physicality of our squad wasn’t good enough for the Premier League,” he explained.

Maguire confident Man Utd will erase last season’s struggles with new signings and renewed energy.

“We couldn’t run hard enough. We didn’t win enough duels.” Now, with rigorous conditioning and sharper fitness levels, the players look leaner and more competitive.

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Tactically, the squad is becoming more comfortable with Amorim’s fluid system, which shifts between back threes, fours, and fives depending on the phase of play. Maguire stressed the manager’s demand for aggressive, front-foot football, adding that last season’s buildup was often too cautious and risk-averse.

“Last season we played a lot of short passes, building up in our own third,” he said. “We gave it away the most as well in our own third. So it’s something that we do need to look at and improve on.”

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As the new Premier League campaign looms, Maguire is eager to demonstrate the progress made. The season opener at Old Trafford sees United face a stern test against Arsenal, the previous campaign’s title contenders. For Maguire and his teammates, this match is an early barometer of how far they’ve come.

Despite entering the final year of his contract and attracting attention from clubs across Europe, Maguire remains focused on the task at hand. His commitment to the club’s resurgence is clear.

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With renewed confidence, improved fitness, and a tactical system taking shape, Manchester United appear determined to rewrite last season’s narrative and reestablish themselves among England’s elite.