FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Quarter Final - England v France - Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor, Qatar - December 10, 2022 England's Harry Maguire reacts REUTERS/Hannah Mckay
(Reuters) - Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag said centre back Harry Maguire had a really good World Cup and urged him to replicate his England form at the club when the Premier League restarts.
Maguire lost his first-team spot for United in August but the 29-year-old started every game for England in Qatar, where they were knocked out in the quarter-finals by France.
"It's clear he is good enough to play at the highest level," Ten Hag said at United's training camp in Spain.
"He had a period in Manchester where he performed badly and then, of course, there are difficulties. For England, he has good games almost all the time.
"We want him to bring that back to Manchester with him so he can bring it on the pitch for United.
"I think he had a really good World Cup. He was really consistent. When he is playing with his confidence like now, he is a massively important player for us and that is what everyone expects."
United return to action on Dec. 21 with a home League Cup tie against Burnley before hosting Nottingham Forest in the league on Dec. 27.
(Reporting by Manasi Pathak in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
