Harry Maguire will miss Manchester United’s upcoming Premier League match against Chelsea after receiving an extra one-match suspension.
The 33-year-old defender had already been sent off during United’s 2-2 draw with Bournemouth last month. He gave away a late penalty after fouling Evanilson inside the box.
After the match, Maguire was also charged by The Football Association for improper conduct. Officials said he used abusive or insulting language toward fourth official Matt Donohue while leaving the pitch.
As a result, Maguire has now been given an additional one-game ban and fined £30,000. According to the referee’s report, he shouted angrily at officials as he walked off. However, Maguire denied directing his words at any specific person, saying he was only expressing frustration. He later admitted his reaction was inappropriate and apologized.
The FA considered a longer suspension but reduced it to one extra match after Maguire accepted the charge.
United will face further problems in defence ahead of the Chelsea game. Lisandro Martinez is also suspended after being sent off for violent conduct in the recent defeat against Leeds United. The club is considering an appeal, but the decision is unlikely to change.
On top of that, Matthijs de Ligt is still unavailable due to a long-term injury. This leaves manager Michael Carrick with very limited options in central defence.
Young players Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven are expected to step in, though both lack experience at the highest level. Carrick could also use more experienced players like Luke Shaw or Noussair Mazraoui in a defensive role.
Manchester United are currently third in the league, level on points with Aston Villa and just three points ahead of Liverpool. A defeat against Chelsea could seriously damage their chances of qualifying for the Champions League.
Saturday’s match is now even more important, with United facing a defensive crisis at a crucial stage of the season.
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