Harry Maguire was forced out of Manchester United’s 1-0 win over Fulham on Friday night, but Erik ten Hag said it was just a precautionary substitution.
The Red Devils got their Premier League season off to a good start as summer signing Joshua Zirkzee came off the bench to score a late winner.
That goal came in the 87th minute, but Maguire was already off the pitch at that stage, replaced by Jonny Evans six minutes earlier.
The England centre-back looked in some discomfort, appearing to limp as he left the field, but Ten Hag says Maguire is not injured.
‘Not injured but I had to bring him off because he had a problem,’ the Dutchman told Sky Sports. ‘Before he gets injured, a precaution.
‘The win is very important of course, but I’m so happy no injuries today.’
Maguire partnered Lisandro Martinez in the middle of defence, with Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot at full-back, while Matthijs de Ligt came off the bench to make his Red Devils debut late in the game.
Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher believes De Ligt will ultimately come into the team in place of Maguire at centre-back, with the Dutch defender and Martinez likely to be first choices.
‘If I’m being totally honest, Jonny Evans has probably come in to help the club out and last season finds himself here,’ said Carragher. Harry Maguire is probably not going to find himself as first choice.
‘You’re probably not going to play him and De Ligt together, probably too similar, so I would imagine De Ligt and Martinez would play.’
Speaking to the BBC about his team’s performance, Ten Hag said: ‘I think the performance was OK. The win is very pleasing, To start the season with a win is always important. We are not ready as a squad, as a team, many players are not up to full fitness. We only had 10 days with this team training together.
‘I expect more from this team, but we have a foundation we can build on.
‘The performance is good, over 90 minutes of course there is room for improvement. But I think all over the performance and execution of the game plan was very good.’
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