Former Leicester City manager Craig Shakespeare has insisted that Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has a surprising turn of pace and he is looking forward to the centre-back facing his former team-mate Jamie Vardy on Saturday.
Maguire left Leicester to join Manchester United in the summer for a world record fee of £85m for a defender.
The centre-back will face his friend and former team-mate Vardy when Leicester visit Old Trafford to face Manchester United on Saturday afternoon.
The striker is in good nick and has already netted three goals in four Premier League appearances this season.
Thanks to everyone who has supported me and played a part in my career.
I’m proud and honoured to join @ManUtd. What an incredible football journey it’s been so far ⚽ pic.twitter.com/yVaTnBBHv6
— Harry Maguire (@HarryMaguire93) August 5, 2019
And Shakespeare is keen to see how his two former players will fare when they face-off against each other at Old Trafford this weekend.
“It will be an intriguing battle”, the former Leicester boss told The Athletic.
“If Harry can keep Jamie quiet, it will go a long way to stopping Leicester’s goal threat, because Jamie looks in a good place at present.”
Maguire is known for his ability to read a game and his skill on the ball but a major complaint against him is his lack of pace.
But Shakespeare stressed that the defender also has a deceptive turn of pace, which could take a lot of forwards by surprise.
He recounted an occasion in training when Maguire matched Vardy for a pace during an eleven-a-side game.
“I remember the first week when Harry joined us and we went to Austria, we played an XI v XI. I put Jamie up against Harry because I wanted to see how Harry dealt with certain situations — and it was pleasantly surprising.
“There was a ball over the top and Harry matched Jamie for pace. Jamie will probably tell us that he was in second gear.
“But as staff we spoke about it, ‘Harry has a turn of pace, too’. It wasn’t that we doubted Harry, it was just that he’d kept up with someone who is renowned for that electricity.
“Jamie might have said to Harry, ‘You did well to keep up with me, it’s a good job I didn’t put the burners on’. Typical Jamie.
“But Harry can extend himself to the needs.”
The last time Vardy faced against Maguire, Leicester beat Hull City 3-1 in March 2017.
