Former England defender Jamie Carragher has warned Harry Maguire he won't be a Manchester United player much longer if his current run of form continues.
The United captain followed up his weekend own goal against Tottenham with a Champions League elimination on Tuesday night, prompting concerns from pundits Rio Ferdinand and Paul Scholes. There were even sections of the home support who sarcastically cheered when the England international was substituted as Ralf Rangnick's side chased an equaliser.
Carragher sympathised with the 29-year-old, recognising the challenges that come when a player is going through a period where nothing can go right. However, the ex-Liverpool man warned Maguire he needs to turn things around to keep his United career alive.
"He’s going through the worst moment of his career... and we’ve all been there," Carragher told CBS Sports' Golazo Show. "I can picture it now, when I was playing, and it felt like no matter what I did in a game, how I prepared for it, how well I played in a game, the one thing I’d get wrong the ball would end up in the back of the net.
"I always remember when that was, and that period of my career, and this is something that Harry Maguire is going through right now. He has to get out of it very quickly, otherwise he won’t be at the club, because the standards at Manchester United are so high."
Carragher recognised Maguire's impressive performances for England at Euro 2020 over the summer. However, amid the Man Utd man's recent struggles, he suggested the end of the season can't come soon enough.
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"I’ve always been a fan of Harry Maguire as a player," Carragher continued. "I think he’s had a really good career, he gets criticised because he cost £80m and Liverpool signed Virgil van Dijk for £75m and Van Dijk is the best defender in the world, he’s a phenomenon, and Harry Maguire’s not that.
"He had a great summer with England in the Euros, getting to the final, but this season has been a disaster for him, it really has, and he almost needs to get to the end of the season and forget about football and get away. He’s having a really tough time and every decision he makes he’s possibly overthinking it. He’s almost trying to do too much."
Former United midfielder Owen Hargreaves had earlier suggested simplicity could be the key for Maguire. The £80m man has had his moments this season, including a big goal against Atalanta in October, but the recent setbacks haven't been isolated.
"It’s hard, we’ve all been there when you’re doubting yourself and you’re in poor form, but the only way to get out of it is to play your way out," Hargreaves told BT Sport. "It’s hard when everyone is criticising you, I think he’s trying to do much, too much on the ball. Keep it simple, and his form will come back."
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