EPL: Statement derby win will boost Man Utd’s belief, says Maguire

Manchester United's thrilling "statement" victory over Manchester City, according to Harry Maguire, will give them more confidence as they adapt to a new system under Ruben Amorim.

Bruno Fernandes, the captain of United, equalised from the penalty spot in the 88th minute, but Josko Gvardiol's header put City on track for a much-needed victory at the Etihad on Sunday.

Amorim celebrated his biggest victory since taking Erik ten Hag's place last month when Amad Diallo won that penalty and then created a dramatic 90th-minute winner.

Defender Maguire remarked, "We've had a tough start to the season and not much for our fans to cheer about."

Ultimately, it was an outstanding performance to come here with a 50/50 ball and have the same amount of shots as them.

“It’s not been like that in recent years, so it’s an improvement but still a long way to go.”

United suffered Premier League defeats to Arsenal and Nottingham Forest earlier this month and are still a lowly 13th in the table after a poor campaign so far.
"Clearly, we suffered consecutive Premier League losses, so coming here and making a statement is crucial for our confidence and belief in where we're heading and where Ruben will lead us," Maguire added.

"I have no doubt that the journey will be constructive."

With United's win, City's miserable skid now stands at eight losses in 11 games across all competitions.

Amorim, who guided Sporting Lisbon to an incredible 4-1 Champions League victory in his farewell game before relocating to Manchester, has supervised two of those defeats.

Regarding the influence of the new manager, Maguire remarked, "I think you can see we have a good structure, a good style of play, the way that he wants us to work."

However, I do believe that he is a very skilled tactician in his demands. He has demonstrated his ability to succeed.