Harry Maguire had a memorable match in Europe on Friday, as he lead Manchester United for the first time since his record transfer earlier this summer. It will also be memorable because of the time that he forgot that he was the captain.
Before the start of Manchester United's UEFA Europa League clash against Partizan Belgrade, as the match referee Xavier Fernandez and Partizan Belgrade captain Vladmir Stojkovic stood at the halfway line for the traditional coin toss, there was something missing - the Manchester United captain.
Maguire, not used to the pre-match duties, was with his team warming up before the assistant referees, Roberto Alonso and Inigo Prieto, had to go get him.
Manchester United did manage to eke out their first away win since March, beating over Partizan Belgrade 1-0. Anthony Martial scored the only goal of the Europa League Group L game with a penalty kick after 43 minutes, but the hosts had eight strikes on target to just three by United.
"MAGUIRE!" "HARRY!" On his first appearance in European competition, Harry Maguire captains Man Utd... And he forgot to stick around for the coin toss ???? pic.twitter.com/eanTEx0ccM — Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) October 24, 2019
The game marked the return to the ground where Matt Busby's famous team of talented youngsters played their last game, a European Cup quarter-final against Red Star in February 1958. The plane crashed in Munich on the way home and seven United players were among the 23 who died. United had only played in Belgrade once since then, when they lost a European Cup semi-final to Partizan in 1966.
For the match, United made eight changes from the team that drew at home with Liverpool on Sunday. Teenagers Brandon Williams and James Garner came into the team.
Williams, playing wing back, made a decisive contribution in the 43rd minute when he burst into the Partizan box and drew wild tackles from two home defenders. Martial rolled the penalty into the corner of the goal.
United spent much of the match defending.
Partizan's Nigerian centre forward Umar Sadiq was dangerous throughout, hitting the post just before Martial's goal and fizzing another shot just wide. Guinean Seydoubah Soumah and Japanese Takumah Asano both forced tricky saves from Sergio Romero.
United can ensure a spot in the knockout rounds if the beat Partizan at Old Trafford on matchday four.
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