Harry Maguire confident Manchester United on course to compete for titles again

Manchester United captain Harry Maguire believes the Red Devils are on the right track towards contending for the Premier League title again. United have not won the league since Alex Ferguson retired as manager in 2013 and were a mammoth 37 points behind leaders Liverpool when the Premier League season was put on hold due to coronavirus last month. However, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men were on an 11-match unbeaten run before the shutdown with Maguire and Aaron Wan-Bissaka beginning to repay the lavish sums spent on them last summer and January signing Bruno Fernandes making an immediate impact.

Maguire confident Man Utd on course

"I knew when I first came to Manchester United that Ole said to me loads and loads it's a building process but we'll be where we want to be." Maguire told Sky Sports.

"There are plenty of aspects we need to improve to get to the top of where we want to be. We don't want to be challenging for this Champions League spot, we want to be challenging for titles.

"We know there's still a lot of improvement to get there, but we're on the right track and I'm sure eventually we will get there." 

United sat fifth in the table when matches were suspended and still in the running for silverware in the FA Cup and Europa League. Should the season be able to be completed in the coming months, Solskjaer's options could be strengthened by the return from injury of Marcus Rashford and Paul Pogba. Pogba has been restricted to just eight appearances all season by a persistent ankle problem, but Maguire hopes the French World Cup winner and Fernandes can form a potent partnership in midfield.

"He's been brilliant since he's come in, off the field around the training ground, he's a leader and wants to win, everything he does he wants to win, you can tell he's been brought up with that attitude," Maguire added on Fernandes.

"He's just given us that little bit more life and creativity in the middle.

"We've got Paul to come back as well, who I'm sure will probably make himself (Fernandes) lift his game even more.

"We have a lot of competition in that centre midfield now, they know they have to be on their game to keep their spot, so I'm sure we'll see the benefit." 

Image credits: AP