In response to criticism that his first season as Manchester United manager had a miraculous effect on some of his players, Erik ten Hag has declared more than once this season, "I am not Harry Potter," in a modest manner.
While it's possible that the manager hasn't yet been able to change the performance or circumstances of players like Jadon Sancho, Fred, Scott McTominay, Anthony Martial, and Harry Maguire, Marcus Rashford has notably benefited from his guidance.
Victor Lindelof and Luke Shaw, two of those players who showed improvement, have both been nominated for the club's player of the month award for April. Shaw and Lindelof both last won the prize in over two years ago, in March 2021 and November 2018, respectively.
They share a season of greatly better play with two other defenders, Diogo Dalot and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, which has given Ten Hag his Harry Potter reputation.
With the exception of Rashford, keen-eyed watchers may have noticed that all the players Ten Hag has been credited with changing are all defenders.
What is the secret behind all four defenders going from zero to hero in the same season, one could wonder?
Consider that Harry Maguire's absence from the lineup for the most of the season may have contributed to the development of the other defenders rather than making him the liability while discussing the elephant in the room.
As we have previously shown, Maguire may not necessarily be a poor defender. His performances for England have consistently demonstrated that. However, his defense-planning skills and leadership of the team must be categorically rejected as failures at United for all time.
It is claimed that while form is transient, class is eternal. However, it was reasonable for the majority of fans to assume that it had gone beyond a form issue after waiting five years for Lindelof to demonstrate his class once more.
We had forgotten about the Lindelof who joined from Benfica, the Ice Man who appeared to have a bright future in United's defense. We were familiar with Maguire's performance for England.But we hadn't taken the time to consider how well Lindelof performs for Sweden as well.
"Victor is playing brilliantly, in and out of possession, defending in control but then in building up also he's composed, with good positioning," Ten Hag told reporters after Manchester United's 1-0 victory over Aston Villa in which Lindelof preserved Man United's lead by making a goal line clearance.
"Shaw likes to play centre-half – he's a full-back but he's doing very well inside. You need co-operation because a back four with the midfield is always about communication, but they play very well together and we're happy with that.
"But always also I have to say it's about the whole team. They are so determined and passionate to win games in attack but also in defence, and that's what you need if you want to be successful."
Just a few months after Lindelof received that honor in 2018, Maguire signed with United. It is difficult to write off his protracted slump in performance coincident with his association with Maguire as coincidence, especially if he wins the prize again.
If the nominated player receives the prize, which the winner will be revealed on Saturday, it will be a fantastic boost for him. And as he enters the prime years of his career at age 28, he can build on that success and continue to get better.
According to a recent source, Ten Hag is committed to keeping hold of the Sweden international, and the Red Devils intend to initiate a contract extension for Lindelof.
Maguire, on the other hand, is rumored to have acknowledged that in order to preserve his starting position for England moving into Euro 2024, he may have to leave Old Trafford this summer.
West Ham United, Roma, and Inter Milan are rumored to be interested in the 30-year-old, who has only started seven Premier League games for Man United this season.
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