Maguire tells under-fire Man Utd forward that his teammates have 'faith' in him

Harry Maguire has expressed his support for teammate Joshua Zirkzee, assuring the Dutch forward that both the squad and fans have “full faith” in him.

Zirkzee joined United from Bologna last summer in a £36.5 million move but has struggled to find his footing at Old Trafford.

The 21-year-old has registered just four goals and two assists in 29 appearances across all competitions and faced significant criticism after being substituted just 33 minutes into United's 2-0 defeat to Newcastle.

The forward's decision to storm down the tunnel after being hauled off did little to endear him to fans or pundits, further fueling speculation about his future.

Juventus are reportedly interested in reuniting Zirkzee with his former Bologna boss, Thiago Motta.

However, Zirkzee showed resilience during United’s dramatic FA Cup victory over Arsenal, scoring the decisive penalty in the shootout.

Maguire praised the young forward’s determination, saying: “I’ve been in tough moments at this club, and I know how hard it can be when things aren’t going your way. But one thing I’ve learned is that United fans stick with you.

“Against Newcastle, he was the unfortunate one to get subbed off. Honestly, any of us could’ve been taken off—we were all poor in that opening 30 minutes.

"It wasn’t his fault; it was a tactical decision. Kobbie [Mainoo] came on and changed the game.

“It’s great to see him bounce back and score that winning penalty. The lads had full faith in him—that’s what he does.”

Goalkeeper Altay Bayindir also received praise after bouncing back from a disappointing performance in the Carabao Cup quarterfinal against Tottenham.

The Turkish shot-stopper delivered a stellar performance against Arsenal, saving a crucial penalty from Martin Odegaard and another in the shootout to help secure United’s victory.

“When you play for United, the highs are really high, and the lows are really low,” Maguire said of Bayindir.

“He was brilliant against Arsenal—big saves at crucial moments. That penalty save kept us in the game, and he stopped Declan [Rice] late on.

“He’s an experienced goalkeeper, and we see his quality every day in training. I’m really pleased for him to show that on such a big stage.”

Off the pitch, Manchester United have opened talks with Napoli regarding a potential January transfer for Alejandro Garnacho.

Napoli manager Antonio Conte views the 20-year-old as a priority replacement for Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who is nearing a move to Paris Saint-Germain. United reportedly value Garnacho at £60 million, higher than Napoli's initial £38 million offer.

In addition, Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that United are open to offloading Tyrell Malacia during the January window, either on loan or through a permanent deal.

Manchester United return to Premier League action on Thursday evening, hosting bottom-placed Southampton at Old Trafford as they look to climb the league table and build on their recent FA Cup success.