Erik Ten Hag insists he never doubted Harry Maguire's ability to 'do the job'

Harry Maguire will report for England duty next week re-established as a first-choice defender for Manchester United.

When Gareth Southgate's squad met up in October Maguire had made only two starts for Erik ten Hag’s side all season but he has been ever-present in the starting XI since, usually in a partnership with veteran Jonny Evans as Raphael Varane and Victor Lindelof have had to bide their time.

Maguire and Evans is not a pairing many would have seen coming in the summer, when Maguire was being heavily linked with a move away from Old Trafford and Evans was a free agent after leaving relegated Leicester.

An injury to Evans will see a change made when Luton visit this afternoon, but Ten Hag said Maguire was keeping former Real Madrid defender Varane, a key part of last season’s success, out on merit.

The 35-year-old Evans limped out of Wednesday's 4-3 Champions League defeat by Copenhagen in Denmark, but now faces a race against time to be fit against Galatasaray on November 29.

A statement on United's official website said: "Jonny Evans will be out of action for the next few weeks with injury.

"The Northern Ireland defender suffered a thigh strain in the first half of our Champions League game with FC Copenhagen in Denmark on Wednesday."

Evans’ injury means he will miss his country’s last two Euro 2024 Group H qualifiers against Finland and Denmark, with Michael O’Neill’s men desperate to add to the six points they have collected so far.

O’Neill is due to provide a squad update on Monday and could draft in a replacement, although Oxford’s Ciaron Brown was named among the initial party on Wednesday after his return to fitness.

"Harry Maguire is doing very well at the moment, and I am very happy with that," he said. "As I