Manchester United staff's intriguing pre-match decision with Harry Maguire paid off

Wednesday marked the second time that Harry Maguire has flanked Ruben Amorim for a pre-match press conference at Carrington.

The first time in January was three days after Amorim dubbed the current Manchester United team as "maybe the worst in the history of our club". United needed a grown-up to front up and picked Maguire on the eve of the visit of Rangers.

In the wake of another demoralising defeat up at Newcastle on Sunday, they turned to Maguire again. Ten players have been on European media duty this season and United have effectively run out of willing and dependable talkers.

Maguire, Diogo Dalot, Christian Eriksen, Noussair Mazraoui, Andre Onana, Bruno Fernandes, Tyrell Malacia, Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt and Patrick Dorgu have sat in the player's chair next to the United manager.

Dalot was scheduled to sit in with Erik ten Hag in Porto but was excused after the Portuguese weather delayed United by two hours. It was his turn in Lyon.

The language barrier excuses Manuel Ugarte and Casemiro, though he was next to Ten Hag in San Sebastian two seasons ago. Casemiro is expected to be alongside Amorim in Bilbao.

Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund were certain starters against Lyon and are senior enough. But United wanted "one of the leaders". Maguire lived up to that billing last night.

"Top class," a source close to Maguire understatedly said. Maguire had a kick-about with his two young daughters and nephew on the Old Trafford pitch after the Manchester derby two weeks ago. Hopefully they stayed up past their bedtime on Thursday, what with it not being a school night before Good Friday.

The former United director of communications, Charlie Brooks, retweeted my colleague, Tyrone Marshall: "If there was a United