Manchester United players had hoped the international break would act as a sweet respite from the bitter club season so far, but the boos for Harry Maguire at Wembley on Tuesday night were another reminder of the pressure and scrutiny when you captain the biggest side in English football.
For much of the modern era, playing for United had eclipsed the honour of playing for England, yet after a renaissance under Gareth Southgate, the international camp appears to be a lot happier than the disenchantment at Old Trafford.
Maguire was ironically jeered by some United fans when he was substituted against Atletico Madrid earlier in the month. His inclusion in the England squad — for whom he has always played so well — looked like the perfect chance for a confidence boost, but instead it only amplified the pressure on him.
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There can be no denying the fact the 29-year-old has endured an awful season for United, helped in no part by the fact he is the captain and the poster boy of a campaign of failure. However, some of the criticism of him has been totally misplaced. There is a dangerous narrative, certainly among some sections of social media supporters, who blame every goal conceded and every dropped point on the club captain. Maguire has become an easy scapegoat when others have performed worse.
The United man reached a genuine world-class level twice while playing for England in major tournaments and is in part let down by the lack of midfield protection at United and the fact that he is better suited to the tactical approach implemented by Southgate at international level too.
Whenever the Sheffield-born stopper makes an unorthodox clearance, heads wide from a corner or chases the ball in a clumsy manner, fans will also point out his enormous price-tag — one he has failed to justify so far for United, but not something that really comes into consideration when you're playing for your country.
The Maguire pile-on has been totally uncalled for and gone far beyond his bad form for United. At the end of the day, this is a human being trying to rectify his mistakes and go about his work, regardless of how much he is paid.
For some England 'fans' to boo him when he has been one of their best players over the last five-years is totally uncalled for and quite simply idiotic, especially when you consider that they probably don't even support United and have no reason to chastise his club form.
"Total embarrassment from whoever boo’d tonight," Declan Rice wrote on Twitter after the match. "Harry Maguire has been incredible every single time he’s put on the England shirt. Absolute nonsense now it’s becoming. Back your own players. Especially with a Major tournament coming up."
The treatment of Maguire will no doubt be a hot topic when Ralf Rangnick sits down in front of the media again on Friday afternoon ahead of United's clash with Leicester, and the interim manager will no doubt back the man who he has continued to back as club captain ever since he arrived.
United's dilemma is that Maguire looks like he would benefit from an extended break and being taken out of the firing line, but doing so would let those who booed him get what they wanted.
There can be no denying the centre-back needs to improve enormously if he is ever to justify his enormous transfer fee from Leicester, but right now the only option might be to persevere with him through this latest setback.
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