Maguire impressed with Evans and Woodgate

Evans and Woodgate have a combined 630 Premier League appearances between them and were named as part of Michael Carrick’s newly assembled coaching team last month.

Since then, the pair have had a visible presence at our recent wins over Manchester City, Arsenal and Fulham, and been able to get down to work with the United squad on the training pitches at Carrington.

It is there that Maguire says the group, and particularly our central defenders, have benefitted from having the two highly experienced former centre-backs on the staff.

In an interview that features inside Saturday’s edition of United Review, our official matchday programme for the visit of Tottenham Hotspur, Harry shares an insight into working with them both, as he explains how each of our outfield coaches are positively impacting sessions behind the scenes, in a one-by-one rundown.

Maguire remembers Woodgate, who worked on Carrick’s staff at Middlesbrough, as a player, and says he is already learning things from the former England international.

“He was a fantastic player,” Harry recalls. “Coaching [here], he’s come in and been refreshing. He brings great energy to the group, to the sessions.

“Obviously he's been a centre-back himself and he’s giving me tips, and he’s going to definitely work a lot with the younger centre-backs, with Leny [Yoro], Ayden [Heaven] and Tyler [Fredricson].

“But, of course, even senior players like myself and Licha [Lisandro Martinez], we can learn from him. He’s brought great ideas and I’ve been really impressed.”

Maguire goes on to tell us that Evans is also making an impression on a squad he was previously part of as a player, before calling time on his proud career at the end of last season.

The three-time Premier League winner famously came through our Academy and, as witnessed by Harry, is now doing what he can to help the current generation of young United defenders.

“Jonny is great to have around,” Maguire adds. “The way that he handles himself and the responsibility that he took on his shoulders when he was a player, he can take that on to coaching as well.

“Just little things like in the session the other day, I was finished and was walking in and could see that Jonny was doing extra work with Leny and Ayden. Things like that, as a young boy coming through and playing on the biggest stage, sometimes you have to learn and adapt on the pitch and on the stage, but you also can’t forget that you need to improve and you need to work.

“These are young, talented centre-backs and to have Jonathan Woodgate and Jonny Evans coaching them now and giving them little tips, it’s fantastic for them.”

You can read more from Harry in Saturday’s edition of United Review, available around Old Trafford on matchday, and online here.