If there was any moment from any Manchester United player which left Roy Keane with even the briefest pang of pride, it probably came after the full time whistle as a jubilant Tottenham were waiting to get their mitts on the Europa League trophy.
Harry Maguire had been engaged in a running battle with Cristian Romero – Tottenham’s troublesome centre-back throwing his weight around and his body to the floor in true ‘plastic hardman’ fashion – throughout much of Wednesday evening.
A battle that threatened to come to a head as a triumphant Romero sauntered through a dejected Manchester United roster at full-time.
Maguire, clearly feeling that the combustible Argentine was looking to rub salt into Red Devils wounds, soon set about chasing Romero off into the distance. By that point, however, the damage was well and truly done. A battle lost.
Romero wrote his name into Tottenham Hotspur folklore while the man whose last-gasp winner against Lyon helped pave the way to Bilbao was left mourning a second Europa League final defeat of his Manchester United career.
According to The Times, Maguire is one of only four players Ruben Amorim wants to keep at all odds beyond the summer. The England international pulled no punches as United’s trophyless fate was sealed by Brennan Johnson’s 42nd minute decider either, bemoaning a campaign for which even the word ‘inconsistent’ feels almost like a compliment.
Roy Keane, as anyone au fait with his fork-tongued ways, was far harsher in his own assessment of a Man United performance devoid of any real threat or intensity.
Roy Keane says Harry Maguire ‘sums up’ Manchester United issues
Mere weeks after Maguire popped up at centre-forward to stun Lyon in the quarter-finals, the sight of the big defender camped in the Tottenham penalty area during the final stages was another damning indictment of a squad posing about as much threat as a Storm Trooper with a weak wrist and shattered glasses.
More United News
Yet, in Ruben Amorim’s defence, Rasmus Hojlund can only dream of emulating Maguire’s penalty-box presence.
“United lack real quality,” Keane sighs. “And when you are depending on Harry Maguire to get you out of jail at the end, it sums up their problem.”
Luke Shaw and Andre Onana helpless as Brendan Johnson scores Tottenham winner
The legendary Man United captain was less than impressed with Maguire’s involvement at the other end of the pitch, too.
Drawn out by the presence of Dominic Solanke, neither Maguire, Luke Shaw nor Patrick Dorgu managed to clear a testing delivery as Brennan Johnson bundled his finish past a typically-sluggish Andre Onana.
“It’s a huge moment. There was a real lack of quality and they’ve [United] almost brought their league form to the table,” Keane adds at the end of a night in which Andre Onana may have sealed his fate ahead of what is likely to be a massive summer of change.
“We mentioned before the game about getting bodies in there, United having bodies back, but not obviously not doing their defensive jobs.
“I think Maguire has got to focus on clearing the ball. Johnson does a brilliant run, obviously nice and aggressive. United have enough bodies back but they are not doing enough. Again, there are question marks over the goalkeeper.
“Spurs aren’t doing anything extraordinary, it’s all pretty simple play. That is where you have to be really critical of United’s defensive shape and decision-making. Players not doing their jobs, not concentrating.
“Shaw maybe not match fit, Maguire focussed on his man [Solanke]. Remember, there’s only one ball. Just focus on the ball sometimes.
“You’ve got to multitask. You’ve got to be able to do this [battle with the striker] and still clear the ball. It’s as if [Maguire is thinking], ‘I’ve got my man here!’. But no, you’ve got to multitask and do more than one job.”