Under-fire Man Utd captain Harry Maguire stands up when it really matters in most hostile of environments away to Leeds

THIS was the acid test for Harry Maguire but, by hook or by crook, the Manchester United captain passed it.

The Yorkshire-born, Sheffield-bred centre-back had been copping it from all angles – and rightly so given his woeful form.

With the chips down and the walls caving in, a trip to bitter rivals Leeds could have gone two ways for him.

Another nightmare showing at Elland Road and the calls for him to be stripped of the captaincy would have reached fever pitch.

But forget about the armband, it would have been hard to see how Ralf Rangnick could have justified keeping Maguire in the team if there was another horror show.

Was it a swashbuckling, inspirational Roy Keane-type performance? No.

But did he stand up when it really mattered, in the most hostile of environments? Absolutely.

Despite throwing away a two goal lead in a mad 59-second spell in the second half, United claimed their first league win at Elland Road since 2003.

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Keane was the only scorer that day, and Maguire, 28, bagged the first of this crazy, pulsating game.

A fine header from Luke Shaw’s cross, it was his first league goal of a so far miserable season.

Leeds’ route back into the game was hardly Maguire’s fault with Rodrigo’s cross flying over David de Gea before Bruno Fernandes lost it for the second.

But had United lost this from being 2-0 up, the inquest would have been predictable.

In the eye of the storm, where the hell was the leadership?

Instead, Maguire’s beaming face in front of the travelling supporters after Anthony Elanga made it 4-2 summed it up.

Being captain of a side that wins at Leeds means a lot to the red half of Manchester, and nobody can take that away from him now.

He’s got a long way to go to prove he should be the long-term skipper, but it’s not a bad way to start the fightback.

A rollercoaster of a day in the lashing rain on a bog of a pitch, Maguire couldn’t have dreamt of a better start.

Hate – and the odd flair being hurled between each set of fans – was in the Yorkshire air as he led the Red Devils out to deafening boss from all sides of Elland Road.

Alongside Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Victor Lindelof and Luke Shaw, it was the first time that defence has been seen since that humiliating 4-1 at Watford in November.

But if that back four made a compelling case never to be selected again after that horror show, for 53 minutes here they were virtually faultless.

With Maguire shouting and cajoling, they stood firm amid the lashing rain to ride out everything Leeds could muster early on.

Jack Harrison should have done better five minutes in after Lindelof was caught out.

But then Maguire did what everyone knows he can do and absolutely dominated in the other box to get Man United rolling.

Up against Diego Llorente, he completely outmuscled his Spanish counterpart before nodding Luke Shaw’s corner beyond Illan Meslier 34 minutes in.

Man United’s first goal from a corner this season – at the 140th attempt – Maguire couldn’t contain his joy as he slid on his knees in the corner.

Missiles rained down on him and his pals – but that wasn’t going to remove the grin off his face.

And when Bruno Fernandes doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time, it looked like being job done.

Eventually, after Fred and Elanga made it 4-2, it was.

Maguire took his side over to their jubilant supporters at the end, clenched his fists and let out a huge roar.

And given the spotlight that’s been on him in recent times, who can blame him.

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk