It's been a particularly tough week for Harry Maguire, who was unable to shake off his domestic woes during the international break.
The beleaguered Manchester United captain was handed a major vote of confidence by England boss Gareth Southgate, who started Maguire in both of the Three Lions' Nations League games. But unfortunately, the 29-year-old failed to repay that faith.
Maguire was at fault for two goals during England's enthralling 3-3 draw with Germany at Wembley on Monday night. Once again, the former Leicester City man looked shaky - and his latest performance even prompted Jamie Carragher to suggest that Maguire's Old Trafford career is all but over.
Carragher wrote in his Daily Telegraph column earlier this week: "My question to Maguire is this: do you have that same fury in you? Too often, it looks as if the weight of the world is on his shoulders like he is a startled bunny more than the authoritative centre-back he was.
"I think it is too late at club level. I wrote last year he was fighting for his Manchester United career. He needs this to be his final season at Old Trafford and start afresh. Now it is England’s problem. When I watched Maguire in the last two games, I felt sorry for him. But that is not a good look for any sports person. Sympathy will not get him back where he was two years ago."
But Carragher's verdict does not appear to have swayed Erik ten Hag, who threw his support behind United's under-fire skipper this week. Ten Hag swiftly axed Maguire from his starting XI following a chastening 4-0 defeat at Brentford in what was just the Dutchman's second match in charge.
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But he has now made it clear that Maguire still has a future at Old Trafford - and that he will do whatever he can to help get the England man firing again.
“First of all, of course, I have to coach him and back him, but I back him because I believe in him,” Ten Hag said on Friday prior to this weekend's crunch Manchester derby.
“In the period I worked with him in pre-season he was good, really good in training, and in games, I can see the qualities even when he's not in the team. When he's trained, the quality was there. You see his career, his caps for England for Leicester and for Manchester United, he performed really well.
“He has high potential and then it’s about him. The players, the coaches, the manager, we believe in him and that’s what I told him. I'm sure he can do it and turn it around.”
