Manchester United skipper Harry Maguire: Fans could have changed our season

Manchester United skipper Harry Maguire is of the opinion that the presence of fans at Old Trafford could have changed the course of their season. He feels that the fans can help “swing the momentum” in tight matches. About 10,000 supporters will return to Old Trafford for the first time in 14 months when they play Fulham on Tuesday. “There have been games where we’ve needed them,” admitted the Maguire. “We’ve drawn 0-0 far too many times this season.”

“Would the fans have given us that boost, that little bit of energy, that spark to change the momentum and to go and get a winner? You don’t know. But we can’t wait to get them back. We’ve done our best over a period, but fans make football and the atmosphere they create, you can’t create it yourself. So to get them back in this stadium, even if it’s a small minority, is better than nothing.”

United’s away record has been exceptional in this Premier League season, but their home form has been less than impressive. “The energy a full Old Trafford gives the boys, and the intimidation that they give the opposition team, is going to make a difference, for sure,” he added.

“You still feel at home when you play at Old Trafford, but it’s not the same. The fans can definitely help swing the momentum in games. It only takes a corner, a set-play, and the fans get right behind you and the momentum swings.”

Maguire feels that in the presence of fans, the thumping victories against Leeds United in the Premier League and AS Roma in the Europa League could have been different. “The Leeds home game would have been such a great spectacle with the atmosphere they could have created. The second half of the Roma game, I couldn’t imagine how the atmosphere would have been,” he elaborated.

“It means absolutely everything to us as players. One thing we’ve realised through this pandemic is how much fans mean to football and how much fans mean to this football club. Pretty soon we can have Old Trafford rocking and a full stadium again – that’s what we’ve got to aim for.”