Maguire: It’s a bit like playing two legs
Manchester United face Aston Villa away in the Premier League on Sunday, just four days before hosting the Villans again, in the Carabao Cup at Old Trafford.
Such a scenario that is not uncommon in modern English football, with this year's jam-packed fixture schedule posing a different challenge for footballers to overcome.
In a recent interview, which will be published in Thursday’s matchday programme, United Review, Harry Maguire discussed the prospect of playing the same opponent twice within the space of a few days.
Maguire: You can see how much it means
Harry Maguire says the Reds take pride in keeping clean sheets, as United prepare to take on Aston Villa...
“It’s strange that it’s fallen like that,” said the United captain. “It’s a bit like you play two legs in a Europa League or a Champions League tie.
“[But] I think we just take each game as it comes. We won’t be looking at the second one, we’ll be looking at the first one and just looking to get the three points. We try and get the three points and after that, we try and win the second game.
“After the first one, we’ll have more of an idea of how they play and where their strengths and weaknesses are, but for sure, we just have to look after ourselves.
“We have enough talent in the squad of players we have now to go and win the football match and we’ve got to make sure that we perform 100 per cent.”
Maguire’s message comes amid United’s recent run of form, which has seen the Reds go unbeaten since that match against Man City at the start of October.
During that time, Erik ten Hag’s side have played nine fixtures, conceding just four goals. The return of Maguire and Victor Lindelof has also softened the blow of Raphael Varane's injury against Chelsea, with the Frenchman out until after the World Cup.
And ahead of our first clash with Villa, Ten Hag discussed his centre-back options.
Ten Hag's press conference: Villa (A)
See what Erik said about Sunday's game against Aston Villa, when speaking to the media after our match in Spain...
"I have to see [who to select] because Aston Villa is going to be a difficult one as we don't know,” said Erik in his pre-match press conference.
“They have a new manager and I have to have a look and analyse from that game, from that team and then we have a choice. But what I just said, Licha [Lisandro Martinez] and Victor [Lindelof] played really well together over some more games.
“But I also think Licha and Harry [Maguire] last Sunday against West Ham United kept a clean sheet and also did really well, so that's a choice we have to make. When I choose one, it is not one thing against the other."