Manchester United will go another season without silverware, but Harry Maguire backed the Red Devils to respond.
Harry Maguire called for Manchester United players to rally around one another and stick together after their Champions League last-16 exit to Atletico Madrid.
United managed a 1-1 draw in the first leg of this Champions League last-16 tie, But a Renan Lodi first-half header condemned United to a 1-0 defeat at Old Trafford on Tuesday, sealing a 2-1 aggregate triumph for Diego Simeone’s battling visitors.
David De Gea bemoaned ‘another bad year’ for a club that are now only fighting for a top-four finish – an uphill battle given Arsenal in the final spot have games in hand on floundering United.
That ended United’s hopes of silverware for another season, with Ralf Rangnick’s remaining goal being to secure a top-four finish – a race that looks set to go to the wire.
Of course it’s going to be a disappointing couple of weeks now,’ he said as Atleti fans continued to sing long after the final whistle at Old Trafford.
‘The lads need to go, have a rest but make sure that we come back fighting for the end of the season.
‘We’ve got nine important Premier League games that we need to try to win every game that we play in, stick together.
‘My job as captain obviously has a big role in that as well and making sure that we stick together and we finish the season strong – because we owe it to the fans.’
United were left frustrated by referee Slavko Vincic as they were left bewildered by the decision to not award a foul on Anthony Elanga moments before Lodi converted at the culmination of a slick Atleti counter at the other end.
“I think the style in Europe, it’s not for me to really comment on,” Maguire told beIN Sports when asked of the incident. “But, yeah, I think every time you touch someone, it’s a foul.
‘I mean Anthony (Elanga) has a header in the first couple of minutes. Heads the ball over the bar, the keeper probably comes and clatters him and he gets the foul, so, yeah, it’s a different style.
‘I think – as a team – we’ve maybe got learn from it, got to grow from it and don’t lose our discipline.
‘I felt like the last 20 to 30 minutes of the game we should have been pushing and creating a little bit more but we got too frustrated, we started losing our shape and we lost momentum in the game.
‘That’s something that we need to learn from but it’s a difficult night tonight because the lads are disappointed.’
Rangnick expressed his frustration with referee Slavko Vincic’s officiating after the match as did Maguire, who highlighted a potential foul on Elanga before Atleti scored what proved to be the winner.
‘I can’t say for sure because I haven’t looked at it back yet,’ he said. ‘I will look at it back.
Meanwhile, United are reviewing CCTV footage after objects were thrown at Atletico head coach Diego Simeone as he ran down the tunnel at full-time.
Anyone found to have thrown items faces a three-year ban under ground regulations.
UEFA’s control, ethics and disciplinary body is waiting on the referee and delegate’s report before deciding whether to sanction United.
