Watch why Man Utd fans are going mad for Harry Maguire’s ball-winning heroics against former club Leicester in surprising clean sheet
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ONE mid-pitch moment of muscular mastery has catapulted Harry Maguire to hero status with Manchester United fans.
Supporters went from nodding their heads in quiet appreciation at the new £85million centre-back to tub-thumping their delight - after a clip of Maguire destroying a Leicester counter-attack like a "new Nemanja Vidic".
The world's costliest defender was hailed on social media as the best on the planet as he shone against his old club in United's first win and clean sheet since a 4-0 opening day victory over Chelsea.
And the way he dealt with Foxes' speedster Demarai Gray from what looked a dangerous break won over many supporters who feared Maguire's fee was too much
Gray burst into the right side of the United half as Maguire came across at full pelt.
Former England Under-21 wideman Gray seemed the favourite as he nicked the ball one side of the Three Lions' 2018 World Cup star.
But Maguire timed his lunge perfectly to nudge the ball sideways to slow Gray down.
'JUST WHAT WE NEEDED'
And as the Leicester flier came back for a second bite Maguire matched him for mobility and beat him for brawn, resoundingly forcing Gray off the ball when their bodies squared up.
One fan tweeted: "Our new Vidic, now let's go for a new Scholes and a new Van Persie."
Another said: "Maguire the best centre-back in the world."
And after debate raged over whether boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was right to spend so much money on the least glamorous part of United's team, one message simply read: "That is what we definitely need."
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But while many supporters suggested Maguire had previously been "under-rated", a few claimed he was in fact over-hyped - cavalier moments hiding subtee errors.
One said: "@vlindelof had better defensive stops. Underrated player."
And another argued: "That was because Maguire didn’t clear the initial danger from an aerial duel. We’re always quick to point out to his inevitable little errors and forget the good part of his game @vlindelof."
