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Jose Mourinho heaps praise on Harry Maguire but says he joined Man Utd one year too late
JOSE MOURINHO has heaped praise on Harry Maguire following his Manchester United debut against Chelsea - and joked he joined the club a year too late.
Maguire starred for Manchester United as the brushed Chelsea aside 4-0 in their first Premier League game of the season.
The England international was named man of the match after helping his side to a clean sheet - something Manchester United could only do twice at Old Trafford all last season.
Mourinho, who was working as a pundit for Sky Sports, wanted to sign Maguire when he was United manager in 2018.
However, a deal never materialised and the Portuguese went on to lose his job the following December.
He arrived one year later!
Jose Mourinho says Maguire can form a strong partnership with Victor Lindelof but rues not having that duo 12 months ago.
“I think he fully deserves the man of the match,” Mourinho said.
“I think he was solid like a rock.
“As we know it is very important for a team to have that.
“Not just the tactical knowledge but the personality, that sense of reading the game, of being alert all the time, confidence to play.
“He was fantastic, he was fantastic. Absolutely deserved [the man of the match].
“I think he did [give United confidence].
“A team can be very dangerous in attack but if you feel that the mistake is around the corner, the defensive mistakes are around the corner, it takes your confidence to play.
“You don’t play as well as you can.
“When you feel it, that there is something that really allows you to play, you are much more confident to do it.
“Maguire was good, Lindelof was good, as I always said Lindelof can be a very good player. With Maguire, I think they can make a very, very good couple.
“He arrived one year later!”