Despite being Manchester United's most expensive option at center back, Harry Maguire is currently the team's fourth-choice defender for that position. Erik ten Hag has shown that he is not afraid to make significant decisions, and one example of this is that he frequently places the club captain on the bench.
Maguire's performance during the previous season was abysmally poor, and as a result, his role as captain was subjected to intense scrutiny. However, Ten Hag insisted that Maguire would continue to wear the captain's armband during the summer, despite the fact that this does not guarantee him starts as it did in the past.
The defender was given the starting position against Brighton and Brentford, and he was a member of the team that brought shame to the club's history by suffering those two embarrassing losses. After that, Ten Hag made the decision to bench Maguire against Liverpool, and United was able to advance.
This season, Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane have developed into a formidable partnership, and Victor Lindelof has done a good job filling in for Varane, who is unable to participate in the World Cup due to a hamstring injury.
United were criticized for signing Martinez from Ajax in the summer for a fee of £46.8million, rising to £55.3m, on a five-year contract, but the Argentine has been an outstanding addition, and he is already a contender for the club's Player of the Season award. The transfer fee for Martinez's move from Ajax to United was £46.8million, rising to £55.3m. United's five-year contract with Martinez was worth £55.3m.
Martinez has started on the left side of the center of defense, which is the position that Maguire once started in under the previous management, and Ten Hag has made it clear that Varane and Lindelof are his preferred candidates to play alongside Martinez in the center of defense.
Ten Hag recently responded to a question regarding whether or not Lindelof was the third-choice center-back by saying, "I have to think about it." "I have to go to Aston Villa, and it's going to be challenging because we don't know anything about them now that they have a new manager. Therefore, it is necessary for me to investigate and evaluate that team.
"Therefore, we have a choice to make. But, as I was just saying, Licha [Martinez] and Victor, they played really well together over the course of a few more games, but I think also Licha and Harry on Sunday against West Ham United: also a clean sheet, and they also did really well against West Ham United. I just said that.
"I have a choice in the matter. There is no competition between them when I choose one over the other.
When asked about the order of preference for center backs, Ten Hag gave a noncommittal response; however, his actions speak louder than his words, and after that interview, it was Lindelof and not Maguire who started, and the Swede also started against Fulham the previous weekend.
Maguire keeps an eye on things. (Image: 2022 (Source: Getty Images)
This season, Lindelof has turned in consistently strong performances, with his only stumble coming in the 3-1 loss at Villa Park. As a result, he has earned the right to be considered "third-choice" ahead of Maguire, who has only made three starts in the Premier League so far this season.
Although it is known that Maguire has continued to act in a dedicated and professional manner both at Carrington and in the locker room, and despite the fact that he has had to accept the fact that Ten Hag is in charge of the team and play a smaller role, he will have a difficult time getting back into the team.
When Varane returns from the World Cup, provided he is healthy enough to do so, he will start alongside Martinez, and Lindelof will be played in the absence of either of those players. This means that Maguire will get even fewer opportunities than he has in the previous few weeks.
It has been suggested that although Ten Hag appreciates Maguire's professionalism, he does not see a long-term future for the center-back at the club, and it appears as though the player is quickly running out of time to change the Dutchman's mind. This is a theory that has been supported by the fact that there has been a suggestion that Ten Hag appreciates Maguire's professionalism.
However, Maguire is currently representing England at the World Cup, which will get underway on Sunday; he has been patiently waiting for this opportunity to deliver a message to Ten Hag, and he finally has it. Gareth Southgate has always had a soft spot for Sean Maguire, and the manager is likely to give him a starting role.
The fact that he was named to the Team of the Tournament at Euro 2020 and the World Cup in 2018 suggests that England's Harry Maguire saves his best performances for when he is competing for his country rather than his club team. His club form does not qualify him to start for England.
It is almost certain that Southgate will start Maguire on Monday against Iran in the opening group game. This means that he has 29 days, should England reach the final of the competition, to show why he shouldn't be fourth-choice center-back at Old Trafford. If England does not reach the final of the competition, Southgate will almost certainly not start Maguire.
It is an opportunity that Maguire cannot afford to throw away because he will be given the chance to start for England.
It is possible that he will be able to salvage his career with United by playing well in Qatar.
Wisdom Nnebi 5 w
Alright