England manager Gareth Southgate sends message to Manchester United centre-back Harry Maguire over game time
Gareth Southgate, the manager of the England national team, believes Manchester United defender Harry Maguire needs to find regular game time at the club level.
The 30-year-old has lost his place at the Old Trafford side since the arrival of Erik ten Hag. As a result, the centre-back has found himself mostly on the bench at the Red Devils in the last few months, falling down the pecking order.
However, Maguire has still been a key player for the Three Lions. But speaking to the media via Metro, when asked whether the former Leicester City star needed more minutes, Southgate agreed.
“It is clear, really. I think him and Kalvin Phillips are the two who have played the least in terms of guys in this squad this season but we have gone with them because in these two positions we think they are still ahead of others that might have played more.”
United signed the English national in the summer of 2019. Subsequently, the defender was ever-present in the starting lineup under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
The 30-year-old was even handed the captain’s armband a few months into his stint at the Old Trafford side. While the centre-back was decent initially, he has been error-probe for some time now at the Red Devils.
At the start of the 2022/23 campaign, Ten Hag gave Maguire a couple of opportunities. But the results against Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford were embarrassing.
Since then, Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane have been the gaffer’s preferred duo at the back. Last season, the two formed a solid partnership. Victor Lindelof also seems to be ahead of the former Leicester defender in the pecking order.
Despite the 30-year-old’s diminished role at United, Southgate has had faith in him. The centre-back has not let the Three Lions’ manager down, putting in decent displays in the 2022 World Cup.
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Therefore, it is understandable that the English gaffer still counts on Maguire. However, how long will the defender be able to keep his place in the England squad if minutes at the Old Trafford side are scarce? Only time will tell.
