James Maddison will be hoping to wreak revenge on Harry Maguire at Old Trafford after his former Leicester City team-mate stitched him up at the World Cup. Maddison is fit again and starring for City, scoring in both matches upon his return to Premier League action. That’s following a knee injury he suffered just before the tournament in Qatar and that held back his progress, the midfielder not playing a single minute for England.
But, Maddison was not an outsider in the squad, and ended up on stage during one of the team’s nights off, when he performed alongside pop star Robbie Williams. However, this was not by choice, with United defender Maguire playing a prank. Maddison will be able to get one back on Maguire on the pitch on Sunday, when he could come face-to-face with his old team-mate.
James Maddison said: “Robbie came to visit the squad in the camp in Qatar as a little treat for us. On the night we had a barbecue and stuff and he performed for us. Harry Maguire stitched me up nicely because he knows Robbie. He told him that I was really good at singing, which was a joke because I’m absolutely horrendous. So he actually called me up and wouldn’t let me stay in my seat, so I had to go up and do a duet with Robbie WIlliams! We performed Sweet Caroline.”
Maddison needed 12 months of excellent form to finally squeeze his way into Gareth Southgate’s squad for Qatar, but that effort was not rewarded with an opportunity. However, the 26-year-old does not reflect on it negatively.
James Maddison said: “It wasn’t bittersweet, it was sweet. It was an unbelievable experience and one I’ll never forget, even though I didn’t actually play. I struggled a little bit with my knee at the start and I was playing catch-up then. It wasn’t ideal because you obviously want to play in the tournament, that’s what we dream of. But the experience as a whole, I’ve no qualms about that, the experience was unbelievable and I took so much from it. Everything you do is a learning experience and a World Cup is no different, just like any other game. So it was a really good experience, you just take what you can from it. It’s hard in the moment, but when you reflect you can see what you’ve actually learned.”
Back at City, he’s at the centre of their plans, taking the armband last week, and is now in the centre of the pitch too, with Tete’s arrival seeing him shuffle into the middle. That does suit Maddison, who wants to be the main man.
James Madison said: “I’ll play wherever the gaffer wants me to because I have such a good relationship with Brendan. I actually enjoyed getting to know that role and scoring and assisting from the right. But I’m a player who is best centrally. I’m a player who is best in the middle. When I’ve got two wingers and a striker in front of me, that’s when I’m at my best, receiving centrally. But I did well off the right so the gaffer was keeping me out there. We didn’t have many options off the right that he wanted to go with. Now we’ve got Tete, who is very direct and actually a proper winger, so it lets me get inside again. I want to be the main man. That’s not being arrogant or big-headed but I want to be the main man. I love the responsibility and I’m at my best when I have that pressure on me.”
