Former Premier League and England defender Martin Keown has leapt to the defence of Manchester United captain Harry Maguire.
Maguire has come in for a lot of criticism over the past 12 months, with his form dipping dramatically following a strong start to his Old Trafford career. The former Leicester City centre-back has kept his place in the England squad under Gareth Southgate and is likely to feature for the Three Lions in this year's World Cup in Qatar.
Erik ten Hag's arrival in Manchester has led many to speculate that the Dutchman will be keen on improving his central defensive options, with links to Ajax's Jurrien Timber and Villarreal's Pau Torres. There are also rumours that Maguire will be stripped of the captain's armband, with Cristiano Ronaldo and David de Gea tipped to take on the role next season.
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But Keown believes the £80million man is good enough to snap out of the slump he is in and get back to the form which saw United come calling in 2019, especially if Ten Hag abandons the high-pressing system interim United boss Ralf Rangnick deployed last season.
"The criticism of Harry Maguire and the way his career has been picked apart by people who think they know better is disrespectful," Keown wrote in the Daily Mail. "This isn’t the first time I’ve come to Maguire’s defence. I did it during the season, too. Fans and pundits can provide constructive criticism but at times, it’s felt like comments made about Maguire have fallen more into the abuse category and that’s wrong.
"This is a good player who has taken on the pressure of captaining Manchester United and a central defender who has earned the trust of Gareth Southgate because he has been dependable. He has been through a difficult period in terms of form.
"The way Ralf Rangnick wanted him to play, in a pressing system with a high defensive line, was different for Maguire and he looked a little uncomfortable with it. You hope Erik ten Hag will use him properly, noticing the statistics state United concede less than a goal a game and have lost just twice when Maguire and Raphael Varane start together.
"I was criticised when I made a mistake — that comes with the territory of being a centre half and playing for a big club — but I didn’t have to contend with social media which can be more impactful and personal.
"He’s got a good network of family and friends to help him cope with the deluge of comments. They’re the people he needs to listen to — not the outside noise. Maguire is more than capable of pulling himself out of this difficult patch and enjoying his career again."
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