Harry Maguire has become the latest Manchester United player to hail the impact supporters have had on their record at Old Trafford this season, with Erik ten Hag’s men losing just one Premier League game at the Theatre of Dreams in the Dutchman’s maiden campaign.
That defeat came in the curtain-raiser last August and since then, United have been near flawless at home as they prepare for their final outing on the hallowed turf.
United’s away form has been far more challenging but it’s fair to say that the Reds’ successful campaign stems from their highly impressive home record.
Speaking ahead of the final Premier League game of the season, Maguire hailed the club’s supporters and insisted that Old Trafford has become a ‘fortress’.
“Our fans are so important, they follow us all over the country, home and away,” Maguire is quoted as saying by the official Manchester United website.
“But at Old Trafford, if you’re going to be successful as a team, you need to make sure your home is hard for people to come and get results at, and this season that’s what we’ve done.
“We’d had some big performances, big results, and we’ve played at a consistent level here. The fans are really important to that because we know when we get the fans with us, and they’ve been with us all season, they can make a big difference.
“We know how special it’s been at Old Trafford this season. It’s been a real fortress for us.”
Ten Hag will be looking to build on United’s home form next season as the next step is to take that confidence to away grounds, with that aspect being one of very few the Dutchman will have been unhappy with this season.
United failed to win away from home against any of the current top nine in the Premier League and realistically, that is what kept the Reds from putting up a real title challenge.
Maguire’s future at the club is increasingly uncertain as Ten Hag continues to prefer other players over the Englishman, with England manager Gareth Southgate also recently firing a warning the defender’s way.
Maguire has been a permanent fixture in Southgate’s England squads but the Three Lions’ boss recently hinted that he would need to play more to warrant another callup.
