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4. David de Gea
David de Gea has been pivotal in ensuring that United have not slid further down the table despite their managerial woes. At times, the Spanish goalkeeper has single-handedly kept United in games they ought to have lost heavily. A slight dip in form since the World Cup has not undermined his status as one of the best keepers in the world.
De Gea's reflexes and reading of the game set him apart from other keeper. Recency bias may have him as classified as 'past his prime' but this is far from the case. De Gea is just 29 years old, relatively young for a goalkeeper. He has already amassed 386 appearances for United and also captains the side frequently. His recent contract extension also illustrates his commitment to Manchester United.
Buying a new goalkeeper to replace de Gea is not the need of the hour and there is no urgent requirement to replace him between the posts. The Spaniard perhaps requires a relaxed pre-season to get back to his best. With him in goal, United are assured of a fantastic shot-stopper as a custodian.
5. Harry Maguire
Harry Maguire moved to United from Leicester City over the summer in a record-breaking fee was agreed for his services. The menacing centre-back has already captained the side on a number of occasions illustrating his leadership qualities. Performance-wise, the Englishman has been fairly solid, although he has been exposed on few occasions as well. The former Leicester City defender did not have a full pre-season with the rest of the side and deserves more time to settle down in his new surroundings. Maguire is comfortably United's best defender. Victor Lindelof is yet to convince that he can be a reliable defender while Marcos Rojo and Phil Jones aren't good enough. Therefore, he should be the base of the defence.
Individual quality is not sufficient to succeed as a defender and therefore Maguire needs a partner who can mask his lack of pace and mobility. His aggression and tenacity should be balanced with a defensive partner who is more composed and vigilant. The objective should be to find Maguire such a partner so that he can live up to the £80 million United paid for him.
