Manchester United's captain Harry Maguire was at the receiving end of a bomb threat following his side's 4-0 defeat to Liverpool on Tuesday night.
According to the Manchester Evening News, the England defender called Cheshire Police after getting the threat via email at his family home in Wilmslow. Officers from Cheshire Constabulary were dispatched along with a specialist police explosives dog.
Searches were carried out around Maguire's home, which he shares with his fiancée and their two daughters, but the property was not evacuated. The threat came a day after the heavy defeat at Anfield which led to scathing criticism towards Maguire, including from former Manchester United captain Roy Keane on Sky Sports.
The presence of the explosives dog was described as a 'precautionary measure', but no further details have been revealed. A spokesman for defender Maguire confirmed he had received a 'serious threat to his family home' - and that he had contacted the police.
A spokesman for Maguire told the Manchester Evening News: "In the last 24 hours, Harry has received a serious threat to his family home. He has reported this to the police who are now looking into the matter. The safety of his family and those around him is obviously Harry's number one priority. He will continue to prepare for this weekend’s fixture as normal and we will not be commenting in any further detail at this time."
United's captain - an £80m signing from Leicester City in August, 2019 - has been singled out for criticism amid the team's recent run of poor form. News of the bomb threat emerged today just hours after United confirmed Ajax manager Erik ten Hag as the club's new manager from the end of the season.
In a statement, Cheshire Police said: "On Wednesday 20 April, Cheshire Police were called to reports of a bomb threat at an address in the Wilmslow area. No evacuations took place, but as a precautionary measure a police explosives dog has attended the address this afternoon, Thursday 21 April, to conduct a search of the gardens and surrounding area."
