Eric Bailly recently claimed that Manchester United often favour English players rather than giving others a chance.
“The club should avoid favouring English players and give everyone a chance,” Bailly told the Times.
Reading between the lines, it appears Bailly was suggesting that he deserved more of a chance over Harry Maguire. Maguire’s performances have been heavily criticised by Manchester United fans, and you can understand Bailly’s frustration at a lack of game time.
Now, manager Erik ten Hag has addressed claims from Bailly, as seen in the tweet below.
Ten Hag says Martial is still out. On Bailly's comments, unsurprisingly says nationality is irrelevant when it comes to his selections. #mufc
— Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) September 7, 2022
Ten Hag has confirmed that nationality doesn’t come into question when he is selecting his side, and with Maguire recently dropped from the starting eleven, any claims that English players receive bias have been rubbished.
Maguire was often selected ahead of Bailly, but the latter often struggled with injuries and finding consistent form, so opting for Maguire over the last few years was understandable.
Ten Hag wasn’t in charge last season, when Bailly was in and around the Manchester United squad, so it’s unfair to suggest the Dutch manager is involved in holding a preference for English players.