‘My form’s been good’: Manchester United defender Harry Maguire hits out at critics

Harry Maguire has been a divisive figure in England for some time now.

The centre-back has fallen drastically down the pecking order at Manchester United this season and has put on some questionable displays at times.

For England, meanwhile, he remains a first-choice option for Gareth Southgate and has largely impressed for the Three Lions – though he did make a mistake in the build-up to Italy’s goal in England’s last outing.

But regardless of that, speaking in a recent interview, Maguire suggested that he has nothing to prove and his form has been good.

When asked if he feels properly appreciated, Maguire said: “For England, yes, I do”.

“Obviously, last season was difficult for the club, but, listen, I’ve proven myself to Gareth, who works with a wide range of centre backs. He has the choice of all the English centre backs in the country and I play, every time I’m available, I’ve been in the team.

“I’m sure if you ask the rest of the lads they know what I bring to the team. I’m 30 years old but I shouldn’t really need to prove myself at this level. I’ve over 50 caps. I’m England’s top-scoring defender.”

He adds: “I’ve played nearly 200 times for Manchester United, I’ve captained the club for three years now, but I do also understand that when you’re the captain of Manchester United you do come under the most amount of scrutiny. Last season at club level, my performance wasn’t good enough, alongside everybody else at club level, not just myself struggled. Everyone else struggled.”

On being more of a leader for England compared to Manchester United, the stopper continued. “No, I see myself as a leader for my club as well.

“Obviously this season, I haven’t played as much as I’d like for my club [he has 24 appearances, half of those as a substitute] but I feel my form’s been good this year.”

Whilst Maguire may believe he has nothing to prove, his days at Manchester United do look to be numbered.

The Englishman is now 4th/5th choice under Erik ten Hag with Luke Shaw often starting at centre-back ahead of him.

This suggests that when the summer transfer window rolls around, Maguire may need to look for a new club if he wishes to continue earning minutes for England.

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