Slabhead is back! Harry Maguire's Man Utd resurrection is solving a big problem for Erik ten Hag but can he keep it up against Man City?

While Maguire is used to being in the firing line when things go wrong for United, this season he has been spared the blame for the team's horrendous results as he's been nowhere near the starting XI. Maguire has started only four games in all competitions, and United have won all of them.

His first start came in the Carabao Cup game with Palace and he was outstanding in a flawless 3-0 win. He had to wait two weeks for his next start against Brentford and he played a big role in the frantic, added-time victory, flicking on a header for Scott McTominay to grab the winner.

Maguire was the Man of the Match in United's scrappy 2-1 win at Sheffield United, his boyhood club, and, harking back to his time as United captain, he spoke admirably about the passing of Sir Bobby Charlton after the game.

Against Copenhagen he showcased both his worst and best qualities but was the eventual hero alongside Andre Onana, another highly unlikely saviour.

Maguire gave the ball away in his own half to allow Copenhagen a quick counterattack but he got away lightly as they hit the post and made amends with a decisive block, which he celebrated by punching the air and high-fiving Sofyan Amrabat.

In the second half, Maguire once again looked like a captain, galloping forward in possession, driving the team forward. And after Rasmus Hojlund, Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford failed to take their chances, the defender used his massive head to glance in Christian Eriksen's cross and score the only goal of the game.

In a reversal of fortunes given the humiliation he has had to experience of late, the Old Trafford crowd began singing his name.

Maguire's recent upturn in form and his impact on United's results should not be that surprising. Even though he should never have been made the most expensive defender in the world when United paid £80m ($96m) for him, he has always been a capable centre-back who excels in man-marking, aerial duels and long passes.

While he was one of the scapegoats for United's miserable 2021-22 campaign and made many high-profile mistakes in that season, he was outstanding for the previous two campaigns, when the Red Devils finished in the top four.

He fell down the pecking order when Erik ten Hag took charge of United but when he did play, he tended to do well, with a few, high-profile exceptions, most notably the shambolic 3-0 defeat at Sevilla to exit the Europa League and the 4-0 hiding by Brentford.

Of the 16 games Maguire started last season, United won 12 and lost four, and three of those were in the first two months. Their only defeat in 2023 with him starting was against Sevilla in April.

There are two ways to interpret what Maguire has described as his "ridiculously high" win percentage under Ten Hag. One is that he has only been picked to start relatively straight forward games against opponents United would have expected to beat.

Another is that Ten Hag has overlooked him for the bigger matches, such as the shocking 7-0 defeat by Liverpool, the 6-3 defeat by Man City and the 2-1 loss in the FA Cup, at his peril.

On occasions this season, United have certainly missed Maguire's experience and vision as they have made a litany of defensive errors.

They conceded twice in the opening four minutes against Nottingham Forest and gifted Galatasaray two late goals. Lisandro Martinez looked a shadow of the player he was last season while Victor Lindelof has been very inconsistent. Since Maguire has returned to the side, United have looked much more solid.

The centre-back's qualities came to the fore against Sheffield United, admittedly the weakest team in the Premier League but also a side who had nothing to lose. With United looking sloppy overall, Maguire held things together.

The England defender made 76 accurate passes at Bramall Lane, more than any player and 20 more than Amrabat, who made the second highest. He also won five aerial duels, the joint-highest on the night. Against Copenhagen he showed a willingness to step in and pinch the ball from opponents and was aggressive in both halves of the pitch.

The look of doom that has so often been seen on Maguire's face has been replaced by a concentrated glare that portrays purpose and confidence. United are reaping the benefits of his change in outlook.

"He's playing much more proactively in possession, stepping in, passing vertically," Ten Hag said after the win over Copenhagen.

"He's defending on the front foot, defending forward, very confident in the duels, I think he is dominating in the right way with his aggression against opponents. You see he also gets rewarded. Of course, his heading is a skill... a very good finish."

But it is one thing to do perform well against Copenhagen, Brentford and Sheffield United, and quite another to do it against last season's treble winners in the pressure cooker atmosphere of a derby.

City will be the biggest test of Maguire's revival and despite his uptick in performances, Sunday's game at Old Trafford still has the potential to go wrong. Maguire is at his weakest when he is asked to play in a high line and get into a foot race with quick opponents - the likes of Julian Alvarez, Phil Foden and Jeremy Doku could really expose him if given enough space.

The key will be to ensure that Maguire does not get caught in possession or asked to chase back too often. If the game is played in front of him and he is able to anticipate the danger well, then he stands a much better chance of shutting out Erling Haaland and co and helping United to a statement victory.

While he will always be under pressure, the big difference is that Maguire heads into the derby with the fans on his side and not on his back. He has fought his way back from the brink of leaving the club to become an unlikely saviour. Now he must show he is here to stay.