29 December,2021 08:10 AM IST | London | AFP
Harry Maguire
Harry Maguire said a 16-day COVID-19 break had done Manchester United no favours after they salvaged a 1-1 draw at Premier League strugglers Newcastle, leaving them seven points off the top four.
Ralf Rangnick's men needed a 71st-minute equaliser from half-time substitute Edinson Cavani after Allan Saint-Maximin scored a superb early opener, and were indebted to David de Gea for a series of fine saves.
It was United's first match since December 11 after a COVID-19 outbreak forced them to close their training complex - Victor Lindelof was absent from St James' Park after testing positive.
"No 16-day break in the middle of a football season is going to help you," Maguire told Manchester United's official website. "The training ground has been shut and half the lads playing today are recovering from the virus, so of course it's not going to help us." But the England international defender said United could not make excuses for their sloppy performance.
"You can look at that and ask whether the last 16 days had a big impact on that because it looked like we ran out of steam out there. We've got to stay on the ball, we've got to stay active and we've got to play the ball in their half and we didn't manage to do that," he said.
"A point in the end is a fair result, but it's a result that we're disappointed with." The draw means United are seven points behind fourth-placed Arsenal with two games in hand.
