Gareth Southgate has set up his own “support line” to Harry Maguire in the build-up to the World Cup.
Southgate has made a point of being in touch on a regular basis with Maguire throughout his problems at Manchester United. And the England boss has even reassured Maguire that he would happily let him wear the armband if necessary as one of his trusted lieutenants on the pitch.
It underlines Southgate’s unwavering faith in Maguire and also suggests that he is in line to start England’s first game in Qatar against Iran next Monday. Maguire, 29, has started just one Premier League game in the last three months as he has fallen out of favour under new United boss Erik ten Hag.
