How Maguire risks being dropped by Ten Hag

Suraj Radia

• 17 Aug 2022 18:03 BST
• 3 min read

Manchester United captain Harry Maguire could be dropped by Erik ten Hag for the club's next game against Liverpool after a disastrous start to the new season.

United are bottom of the Premier League for the first time in 30 years after back-to-back losses in their first two games and they have also conceded the joint-most amount of goals of any team so far.

Maguire has featured at centre-back alongside new signing Lisandro Martinez but it is believed that Ten Hag may choose to start Raphael Varane over the England international against United's rivals.

United players have also reportedly expressed concern that Ten Hag's approach does not suit their skill set and they would favour a more pragmatic playstyle against Liverpool.

Ten Hag already dealing with crisis

United conceded nine goals across both their games against Liverpool last season, while Maguire was also dropped for the 3-1 defeat to Arsenal in April.

The 29-year-old was criticised for his part in United's worst-ever Premier League season, however Ten Hag continued to stand by Maguire and retained him as the club's captain.

Ten Hag also insisted Maguire and Martinez would be his first-choice partnership at centre-back when the Argentine signed from Ajax this summer for £55 million.

"We bring him in to not strengthen the squad, but the team," Ten Hag said at the time. "Is Maguire a first-choice? I think he is. He’s proved it in the past but he also has to prove it in the present time and in the future.

"He has played how many times? Sixty times for England? He is a career that is really impressive and I expect a lot from him.

"But there is also internal competition and that is what a club like Man United needs."