Harry Maguire has been included in Gareth Southgate’s 26-man squad to represent England at the forthcoming World Cup despite his lack of game time at Manchester United.
It’s no secret that Maguire has fallen out of favour under Erik ten Hag since his appointment and his omission from the starting lineup today means he will head to the tournament having made just one Premier League start in the past three months. He has accumulated just 280 league minutes in total.
The 29-year-old started United’s first two matches of the campaign, in which they conceded six goals. Ten Hag then opted for a partnership of summer signing Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane, which proved to be a success.
When the Frenchman sustained an injury during the Red Devils’ clash with Chelsea, Victor Lindelof came next in the pecking order.
Southgate backs Maguire
Still, Southgate has instilled his trust in Maguire to perform at the tournament. The centre-back has been an invaluable player for the Three Lions in their previous two tournaments, World Cup 2018 and Euro 2020.