Manchester United captain Harry Maguire has taken a subtle and gentle dig at his club and manager Erik ten Hag for dropping him from the starting eleven.
The out-of-favour United defender spoke to Talksport after England’s 1-0 loss against Italy in the Uefa Nations League that saw the Three Lions relegated to the B league of the competition.
Maguire has over the international break emerged into the spotlight after a report by ESPN’s Mark Ogden came out in which he appeared to place the blame for his poor club form on others around him, including goalkeeper David de Gea.
The former Leicester City man seemingly bashed United for his reduced role in recent weeks, citing his Euros form that saw him named in the team of the tournament.
Maguire said, “I went into the Euros after an eight-week injury, and did not play one game, and got into the team of the tournament.”
The 29-year-old continued his tirade which also went into Ten Hag. On the manager, he remarked, “Obviously, the manager [Ten Hag] decided to leave me out for a game, and the team have been winning since.”
Maguire failed to address his disastrous form for United which he dismissed by saying he did not know anything that was said or written about it.
“I came off the back of three positive games with England in the summer, and a good pre-season, I felt really good.”
In addition to this, the player warned supporters about false stories about him in the press, making an appraisal that in his capacity as the captain of England’s biggest football club, he was bound to make headlines.
Maguire backed himself to get back into the Red Devils’ starting eleven and said he would grab the opportunity should it come his way.
The United skipper featured for England yesterday, where he partnered Tottenham’s Eric Dier and Manchester City’s Kyle Walker in central defence.
While Maguire’s comments will not go down well with sections of the fanbase, it is in everyone’s best interest that he quickly gets back to his best ahead of a busy October period. There are numerous games coming up and he will undoubtedly be required in some instances.
