Rio Ferdinand has accused Erik ten Hag of “taking the p***” out of Harry Maguire by playing Luke Shaw at centre-back ahead of him for Manchester United.
Shaw has been moved from his usual position at left-back into central defence for three of United’s last four games and has earned rave reviews from Ten Hag. His positional change has had the effect of further sidelining Maguire, who has been stuck on the substitutes’ bench despite being club captain.
Maguire has started just four Premier League matches this season, with injuries affecting his start to the campaign. He played well for England at the World Cup, yet has not seen his status at United restored upon his return.
There has been speculation that United may be open to selling the 29-year-old, who they paid Leicester £80million for in August 2019. Rumours of interest from Aston Villa have been quashed and Maguire appears set to stay at United in the January transfer window and fight for his place.
That is the wrong call, according to former United defender Ferdinand, who believes he has to act now. “If you’re him you have to leave now,” he said on Vibe With Five. “Luke Shaw’s playing centre-back instead of him.
“That’s like me going back after the World Cup, playing well, everyone saying ‘he’s done really well’, and [then] Patrice Evra is playing centre-back.
“I’d want to strangle Patrice! I would’ve smashed Patrice in training to make sure he’s not available, and I’d be going to the manager and saying, ‘are you taking the p*** out of me, boss?’. I’d have walked straight into the manager’s office and said, ‘you’re disrespecting me’.
“Harry Maguire’s got to move. I think he stays because of the games and they can’t get someone else in. He plays in the cup games.”
Maguire’s hopes of hitting the ground running after the World Cup were initially hampered by a virus, which kept him and Victor Lindelof out of the side for the Premier League game against Nottingham Forest on December 27.
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But he was back fit for the following game against Wolves, only to see Shaw get the nod alongside Raphael Varane in central defence. Maguire has started just one of United’s five games since the World Cup, with Ten Hag enamoured by Shaw’s recent displays in the middle of defence.
“We have seen the last two games he has been fabulous,” said Ten Hag earlier this month. “He has impressed but, of course, we also know he's really good as a left full-back.
“It’s an extra option and that’s always good for a team. Of course, you have your ideas and a plan, but sometimes it changes by circumstances like the illnesses for Harry and Victor.
“Normally, they start in the games we have just played, but then Casemiro did well as a centre-half against Burnley and then Luke did very well against Nottingham Forest.”
