Harry Maguire will report for England duty next week re-established as a first-choice defender for Manchester United. When Gareth Southgate’s squad met up in October Maguire had made only two starts for Erik ten Hag’s side all season but he has been ever-present in the starting XI since, usually in a partnership with veteran Jonny Evans as Raphael Varane and Victor Lindelof have had to bide their time. Maguire and Evans is not a pairing many would have seen coming in the summer, when Maguire was being linked with a move away from Old Trafford and Evans was a free agent after leaving relegated Leicester. An injury to Evans will see a change made when Luton visit on Saturday, but Ten Hag said Maguire was keeping former Real Madrid defender Varane, a key part of last season’s success, out on merit. “Harry Maguire is doing very well at the moment, and I am very happy with that,” he said. “As I always said, Harry Maguire can do the job — and now he is showing he can do the job. “Last year Harry didn’t play a lot, so I was very happy with Rapha’s performances. I have always been happy with his performance. But in this moment, Harry is playing very well and there is internal competition.” Ten Hag sees Maguire and Varane as being in direct competition for the right side of central defence. Although Maguire has spent much of his career on the left, Ten Hag does not like the balance of his side with the 30-year-old there. “There are moments in certain games where they can play together and they have already proven they can do it,” he said. “But the build-up is not that fluid when one of them is playing from the left.” Last season, the partnership Varane formed with Lisandro Martinez, protected by Casemiro, helped United win the Carabao Cup and return to the Champions League. But with Martinez and Casemiro currently out injured along with Luke Shaw, and Varane out of favour, there is a different look at present. “The injuries don’t help us,” Ten Hag said. “So often you have to swap the back four and then you don’t get the routine. In such moments, it is so important to have routines. “We had a new keeper (Andre Onana) coming in and every time you form a new back four and they know the rules and principles, but the routines are not the same. “Communication is so important, but that is all split-second decisions. You need that cooperation and you need it 100 per cent because when it doesn’t work, then you concede goals at this level.” Wednesday’s dramatic 4-3 Champions League defeat in Copenhagen made it nine defeats from 17 games in all competitions for United this season, piling the pressure on Ten Hag amid on the ongoing wait for Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s purchase of a minority stake in the club to be completed. “Nothing has changed (in our approach),” Ten Hag added. “We stay in the same issues because we are not in the best moment, but I think I see that we are going forward, like at Fulham (a 1-0 win last weekend), and I thought Copenhagen was a very good game and we have to build on that. “Andre Onana came new in and in the last games has stepped up, Rasmus Hojlund is a new striker and he came in and is stepping up. That is good stuff. “We had some good midfield balance in the last two games, and hopefully we can keep that without new injuries in such departments and then I think we can really improve and find our success this season.” Read More Don’t worry about it – Ange Postecoglou brushes off series of Spurs setbacks ‘I heard what I heard’ – Tom Curry stands by racism claim against Bongi Mbonambi Katie Boulter has come ‘full circle’ as GB return to Copper Box for BJK Cup tie Mauricio Pochettino learned lessons from famous battle to mature as manager Mikel Arteta warns Aaron Ramsdale not to rush decision over Arsenal future Dawid Malan: I want to play on but I don’t know what my England future holds

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Yaya Toure is one day targeting a top managerial job in the Premier League after taking the next step in his career by becoming assistant coach at Standard Liege. The 40-year-old, who lit up the top league as a player with Manchester City, has joined Carl Hoefkens’ staff at the Belgian club after a spell coaching Tottenham Under-16s. Toure enjoyed his time at Hotspur Way, admitting he would one day love to return there, but felt the time was right to go and coach first-team football. He is happy to learn from his boss Hoefkens but has desires to become a manager in the future. “One hundred per cent, that is my plan and idea.” he told the PA news agency. “For me I have to go step after step, I am on a learning journey. “I am very open to everything, just carrying on what I am doing. “Why not the Premier League? I don’t know how long it is going to take, maybe sooner or later, for me I am always open for it. “I know it’s going to be a big challenge and coaches’ jobs are becoming tougher and tougher. You see coaches surviving for a maximum four or five months. “That is what it is now, that is the reality. “For me, I am quite patient and I have to take my steps very carefully and in the right manner. That’s why I am going to Belgium because I want to learn from top coaches like Carl, who has huge experience.” Toure, who previously held positions at Ukrainian side Olimpik Donetsk and Russian team Akhmat Grozny, has not ruled out the possibility of one day returning to Spurs. “Tottenham did not stand in my way and they let me go and I think that was brilliant,” he added. “I would love to carry on in Tottenham because my belief and development was to try to work with the grown men. “If the opportunity to go back was there then why not, because what Tottenham did for me was incredible, they allowed me to work there and develop as a coach and for what they did for me I will never be able to thank them enough. “They opened the door for me and allowed me to express myself in the right manner and do the things I wanted to do. “That is a real positive for me. Of course at the end of the day I move on but Tottenham is always going to be a great club and one that will always mean something to me.” Toure will first put his coaching skills to use on the launch of Amazon’s Prime Day, as a Prime customer can buy a private coaching session for them and three friends. He added: “The experience will be unmissable. For me it is very positive and I think this idea with Amazon is great. “It is important we share experiences and talk to them about football and show them inside it and an understanding of it.” ::Yaya Toure will give one lucky Prime customer and their three friends a football training session to learn perfect delivery this Prime Day. Prime Members should check out www.amazon.co.uk/primeexperiences throughout July 11 and 12 to purchase. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Faye White reflects on ‘soul destroying’ lack of media attention after Euro 2009 England forward Beth Mead admits missing World Cup ‘a tough pill to swallow’ Wales coach Warren Gatland calls up Taine Plumtree to World Cup training squad

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The Aston Villa team bus was damaged after being attacked on the motorway following the side’s victory at Burnley on Sunday, police have confirmed. A brick was thrown at the windscreen from a footbridge on the M65 in Lancashire as the Villa team began their journey home from Turf Moor. Nobody was hurt but the matter is being investigated by Lancashire Police and Burnley have said they are “saddened and dismayed” by the incident. Superintendent Melita Worswick, of Lancashire Police, said: “This incident occurred when a great deal of traffic was leaving the area following the football match between Burnley and Aston Villa. “It is nothing but good fortune that the brick didn’t cause more damage, or result in somebody being seriously injured or even killed. “We cannot say at this point whether this was a targeted attack but enquiries are ongoing and this will form part of our investigation. “We are now determined to find the person or people responsible and are asking for anyone with information to get in touch.” The incident is a further embarrassment for Burnley after Manchester City’s Rico Lewis was struck by an object thrown from the crowd in the season-opening match at Turf Moor earlier this month. Play was also halted briefly during that game due to a pitch invader. A statement from the club read: “Burnley Football Club are saddened and dismayed to learn about an attack on the Aston Villa team bus at junction 10 of the M65 after today’s match. “Having spoken with Villa we are relieved to hear nobody was hurt in the incident. We strongly condemn this behaviour and will support Lancashire Police in their efforts to find whoever was responsible.” Promoted Burnley were beaten 3-1 by Villa in what was their second Premier League match of the campaign. They are yet to collect a point.

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