MANCHESTER UNITED coach Jonny Evans has been putting in extra hours with two young defenders, according to Harry Maguire.
Red Devils legend Evans, who played 241 games for the club across two spells, was named in caretaker manager Michael Carrick‘s coaching staff last month.
And the former Northern Ireland international, 38, has been putting that experience to good use, with youngsters Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven the main beneficiaries.
Maguire told United Review: “Jonny is great to have around.
“The way that he handles himself and the responsibility that he took on his shoulders when he was a player, he can take that on to coaching as well.
“Just little things like in the session the other day, I was finished and was walking in and could see that Jonny was doing extra work with Leny and Ayden.
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“Things like that, as a young boy coming through and playing on the biggest stage, sometimes you have to learn and adapt on the pitch and on the stage, but you also can’t forget that you need to improve and you need to work.”
Heaven, 19, and Yoro, 20, are two of the brightest young defenders in English football.
And they are seeing plenty of action at Old Trafford, with 33 Premier League appearances between them so far this season.
Evans was chosen to head up United‘s youth development setup after retiring as a player last year.
But he has been part of the coaching contingent since former stand-in boss Darren Fletcher drafted him in, with Carrick then deciding to keep him on for the rest of the season.
Results have picked up dramatically with the new coaching staff in place and United are on a three-game winning run after seeing off Manchester City, Arsenal and Fulham.
Jonathan Woodgate is another experienced ex-Prem defender who has joined Evans on Carrick’s backroom team.
And Maguire insists the 46-year-old has been just as valuable.
He said: “He’s come in and been refreshing. He brings great energy to the group, to the sessions.
“Obviously he’s been a centre-back himself and he’s giving me tips, and he’s going to definitely work a lot with the younger centre-backs. He’s brought great ideas and I’ve been really impressed.
“These are young, talented centre-backs and to have Jonathan Woodgate and Jonny Evans coaching them now and giving them little tips, it’s fantastic for them.”
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