Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag is considering dropping captain Harry Maguire for Monday’s Premier League clash with Liverpool, according to reports.
The Red Devils began their 2022-23 season with back-to-back defeats to Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford, dropping them to the bottom of the table.
Maguire has played the whole 90 minutes in both games, with Lisandro Martinez starting alongside him.
Martinez struggled against Brentford on Saturday, with the summer signing removed at halftime, while Raphael Varane put in a solid effort in the second half of the 4-0 defeat.
According to the Manchester Evening News, Ten Hag is set to recall Varane against Liverpool, with the France international’s fitness being closely monitored early in the season.
Man United’s head coach is reportedly considering moving Maguire to the bench rather than benching Martinez.
The England international struggled for extended stretches of the 2021-22 season and has also failed to find his best form in the initial stages of the current campaign.
Maguire did not play in three of Manchester United’s final five Premier League games of the 2021-22 season, but he did come on as a substitute against Brighton in the season’s final match.
There were speculations that the former Sheffield United youth player might lose his captaincy this season, but Ten Hag decided to stick with the 29-year-old.
Barcelona reportedly expressed interest in Maguire earlier this summer, but the defender stated that he was unwilling to negotiate a move to Camp Nou.
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Man United are expecting to sign additional players before their match against Liverpool, while Ten Hag will have to make a critical decision about Cristiano Ronaldo if he is still at the club next week.
Ronaldo made his debut against Brentford last week but struggled to make an impact, and he is reported to be desperate to leave Old Trafford before the transfer market closes.
Luke Shaw’s starting spot against Jurgen Klopp’s side is also under threat due to his troubles in the early stages of the season, with new addition Tyrell Malacia in contention to start on Monday.
Meanwhile, Scott McTominay was dropped to the bench against Brentford, and the Scotland international will now be pressing for a recall, possibly at the expense of Fred, as Christian Eriksen struggles in a deeper position against his former side.
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