"This is a massive opportunity" - Patrice Evra urges Harry Maguire to make the most of his chances at Manchester United

Former Manchester United great Patrice Evra has urged out-of-form centre-back Harry Maguire to seize his first-team opportunity after Raphael Varane recently picked up a hamstring injury.

Maguire, 29, has been phased out of the Red Devils' first-team plans this season due to his error-prone displays in the backline. Since the high-priced arrival of Lisandro Martinez from Ajax earlier this summer, he has started just three matches across all competitions.

However, Maguire is in line for a return to Manchester United's starting lineup after recovering from a thigh strain. In the absence of Varane, the England international recently featured in 45 minutes of action in his team's 3-0 UEFA Europa League home win over FC Sheriff.

Speaking to Betfair (via Mirror), Evra shared his thoughts on the possibility of Maguire's return to Manchester United's lineup. He elaborated:

"This is a massive opportunity for Harry Maguire. Now, United have Lindelof, Maguire and it's a big opportunity. It's a massive opportunity for Harry Maguire. The team is doing well, and I think because of that, his integration will be easier."

He also mentioned that he has advised the former Leicester City man not to lose hope about his future at Old Trafford in a private chat. He added:

"I don't know if Ten Hag will give him back the armband because that doesn't help Harry. When the fans and other people see him with the armband, things are already negative.

"I've talked to Harry, and told him to not give up and that he has to get his confidence back."

Evra, who helped the Red Devils lift five Premier League titles, claimed that Maguire currently has a do-or-die situation in front of him. He said:

"If you are a true United fan, I'm begging you to give the man a chance and support him. Also, Harry can't fail. If he fails this opportunity, I think he will have to leave the club. But, I know he can do it and he's going to have the full support of the manager and the players."

Maguire is next expected to feature in Manchester United's Premier League home clash against West Ham United on Sunday (30 October).

Paul Merson predicts outcome of upcoming Manchester United-West Ham United clash

In his column for Sportskeeda, former Arsenal forward Paul Merson predicted a narrow 2-1 win for Manchester United in their Premier League home clash against West Ham United. He wrote:

"Manchester United are doing well at the moment and I like what the manager has done. They were outstanding in the first half against Chelsea, and they played well against Tottenham. I did say that it would be a big week for United, and they did well."

Merson claimed that the Hammers have the potential to be a tough team to beat before scrutinizing their current run of form. He concluded:

"West Ham are a funny team and can be hard to beat, but they haven't got going yet this season. They can hurt you as they did with Liverpool, and this could be one of those games where the West Ham of last season turns up. On current form, however, I don't see it."