Manchester United have started the new season on the back foot already. And that shows after the Premier League heavyweights are languishing in 14th on the Premiership table after four games (with only one win and one clean sheet).
And this series of underwhelming performances has seen the pressure mounting on Ruben Amorim, and Rooney believes that the Portuguese head coach is missing the obvious.
Wayne Rooney recently found himself in disbelief at Ruben Amorim’s decision. The fact that the former Sporting Lisbon head coach is consistently overlooking Harry Maguire in the ongoing campaign is not sitting right with the Everton academy graduate, especially given the performances that the team is putting in at M16.
Rooney lashes into Maguire for lack of time
And speaking on BBC Sport after Manchester United’s 3-0 derby humiliation, Rooney voiced his frustration. He made it clear that Maguire should be starting for his former employers.
He said (via. BBC Match of the Day):
“Harry should be starting. I’d seen Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink talking about it, and saying how much England missed Harry Maguire at the Euros. How is he not playing (ahead of) the three defenders who are playing? There’s a lack of leadership.”
Maguire has been more of a squad role player this season. And that shows in the fact that the 32-year-old hasn’t started any league game this season. When facing Man City on Sunday, Amorim went with Yoro, De Ligt, and Luke Shaw in a back three (and honestly none of these three looked comfortable under the pressure that Pep Guardiola’s side were putting in the final third at Etihad).
The 32-year-old has only aggregated 41 minutes under his belt this season. He has come off the bench in three games but hasn’t started any yet. And with Maguire, the England international is not just a defender, but he brings a lot to the table. He has that physical presence in the defensive line, and then he has that aerial dominance, and he is quite a vocal leader. And Manchester Reds lacked all of those three in the derby.
Author Opinion
Given that Harry Maguire has been an important part of the core at M16 for years, the decision not to give him a go when the club is playing possibly the worst is something which doesn’t sit right with me. He is a quality presence, especially in that back three that Amorim generally deploys at the back.
Many would argue that this is poor man and squad management from the Portuguese head coach. But now all eyes are on that Chelsea game this weekend. And it is to be seen whether Maguire starts for the Reds or whether he will again be pushing down the trenches for an appearance too late…