The centre-back sustained a cut on his eyebrow early on (Picture: MUTV)
Harry Maguire insists he ‘knew where he was’ and passed all the necessary concussion tests after playing on following a nasty head injury in Manchester United’s win over Fulham.
The 30-year-old challenged for the ball in just the second minute of Saturday’s last-gasp 1-0 victory at Craven Cottage but smashed his forehead into the shoulder of Rodrigo Muniz.
The collision caused a cut above Maguire’s eye and he looked out of it as he was receiving treatment from the medical team, with Raphael Varane sent out to warm up.
Maguire passed his checks and stayed on the pitch but, shortly before the hour-mark, the referee called for medical attention after the defender appeared to be dizzy following a powerful headed clearance.
Despite looking in discomfort with his hands on his hips, he again played on – with some pundits questioning the decision not to replace him – but Maguire insists he was fit to continue and was not concussed.
Speaking to MUTV afterwards, he said: ‘Obviously I got a knock really early on in the game. The doc did all the tests and I knew where I was and I was answering all the questions and I completed them [the concussion protocols] thankfully.
‘If the doc says I’m okay to carry on then I’m always going to carry on.
Referee David Brooks was clearly concerned about Maguire (Picture: Getty)
‘It felt good to be able to get through the game, help the lads to a clean sheet and, more importantly, three points.’
On the performance of the back four and the importance of keeping a clean sheet, Maguire continued: ‘We felt good, we felt really good.
‘The first half we controlled the game really, they had a couple of corners, a couple of counter-attacks, but I felt like we controlled the game.
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‘The first goal in these games are crucial. Obviously the game last weekend against Manchester City, the first goal was crucial. It’s a massive game and the referee gives them a penalty out of nothing.
‘So these games are decided on big moments and the first goal in these games can make the difference. It made the difference last week for sure, it’s made the difference again today.
‘But when we don’t find that first goal we’ve got to make sure we keep the clean sheet and I felt like we did that throughout the game very well.’
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